


Curiosity Scarred The Cat

by UntamedChaos



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Gavin got his scar somehow, He's a cinnamon roll underneath, I ship Reed900, I'm obsessed with DBH please help, It may need other tags but I'm not sure what they are, Multi, This story contains gay Gavin and I refuse to believe he was ever straight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2019-11-13 01:57:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 23,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18022649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UntamedChaos/pseuds/UntamedChaos
Summary: Perhaps the scene when Gavin opened the door might've been something you'd see in a movie, where the antagonist confronts the protagonist with a booming, 'Where have you been?' and chills them to the core. But his father didn't care where he'd been, the boy could die in a ditch and he wouldn't bat an eyelid. His name was Caesar, and Gavin couldn't help wondering if there was any resemblance to the Roman politician who shared it. Both were ruthless and powerful, showing no mercy to those beneath them."You're home," Caesar stated as he appeared at the top of the stairs, descending them with purposeful steps.





	1. Choked

**Author's Note:**

> The following story will not reach its conclusion until I put something conclusive at the end. 
> 
> Like, 'The End'
> 
> 😋
> 
> I have it set as a limited number of chapters because I don't want to promise more than I can do, but it's currently in progress still. It could span for three more chapters, or thirty, that's why I'm not setting an exact number. ^^'

### Chapter One

Grey.

The sky was a dark, foreboding grey. The type that suffocated the dreams of young men and choked them, until nothing remained but a whisper of who they once were. As Gavin pulled his hood up, he tightened the cords and tried to muffle the roaring wind, walking home with solemn steps. _Seventeen,_ he thought bitterly to himself, _Nearly an adult, yet I still feel like a frightened kid._

But it'd be over soon, when he turned eighteen he'd be old enough to live by himself. He'd get a house and a car, and Elijah could run away too. They'd be flatmates, brothers again, always looking out for each other. Of course, Eli always acted like he was okay. He was the golden child, the genius of the two, nobody ever said a bad word to him, or raised a hand in anger. Gavin found himself in envy of his brother, he tried his best but they would never be the same. One wished to design a new creation, something that could change the world - and the other, to be a police officer, protecting that world from harm. Of course, all the praise and admiration from Gavin's father went to the successful child, endlessly carving and sculpting him to be a product of perfection. The lesser child became the subject of aggression and degradation, frequently told how much of a failure he was, just a waste of space with no reason for existing. No matter how high Elijah's pedestal, Gavin knew he wasn't happy. He'd liberate them both or die trying.

"Luciel! Hey, over here!" A cheerful voice jolted Gavin from his thoughts as he looked up, confusion flickering in his emerald eyes.

"Reece?" he asked in disbelief, lifting an arm to shield his face from the fierce rain pelting them both.

Reece Alsair, his best friend since school began, and the only one to address him by his middle name. 'Gavin' held a distasteful undertone to it after being used in a scornful voice for so long. He only ever heard it when he'd done something wrong, and in his father's eyes he never did anything right.

"Wanna walk home together?" Reece asked, cuddling close to Gavin as he clung to the male's arm like a limpet. "It's cold and I need the warmth."

Gavin grinned, briefly nuzzling in before blushing lightly and forming a small distance between them, but not enough to offend. "You're always stealing my warmth," he scolded playfully. "Get your own warmth for once, I'm using mine."

This caused a feigned pout from Reece, the boy nestling his face into the gap between Gavin's hood and ear, where he softly purred, "There are other ways to keep warm~"

It was purely for Gavin's reaction, which was to push the fairhaired teen away and blush hotly as he gave a tiny squeak.

"Reece, you pervert!" he whined, avoiding his friend's gentle blue eyes. "Don't say stuff like that!"

The boy pulled him close again, laughing quietly as he reached in and ruffled Gavin's tousled locks. "You know I'm only kidding, I'm not gonna force myself on you." He continued in a rather cocky tone, a smirk playing on his lips, "Don't have to, you'll succumb to my boyish charms sooner or later~"

"Yeah, yeah. So you say," Gavin muttered, giving him a light push. "Give over, you're embarrassing yourself."

They continued to banter as the journey went on, Reece teasing and Gavin complaining, until the duo reached their destination outside the Kamski household. An ominous silence washed over the two, as though they _both_ knew what lay inside. Gavin did, of course, but he'd never shared a word of it with a single soul, too scared of the consequences.

"Hey," Reece murmured softly, all traces of amusement absent from his features, "Are you gonna be okay?"

The words were said with concern but they cut deeper than any knife. His best friend always acted like he knew what went on behind closed doors, and maybe he had his suspicions. After all, Gavin often showed up to school with bruises and scrapes from 'accidents around the home' so it was evident that _something_ was going on, but neither dared to report it.

"I'll be fine," Gavin mumbled, swallowing his fear as he attempted a smile. "Go on, Bourbon's gonna be shredding the house if you leave her any longer."

At the mention of his daschund, Reece seemed to relent on lingering to make sure Gavin would be okay, and reluctantly turned to leave.

"I'll tell her you said hi," he responded with a small nod, his figure already disappearing into the inky darkness as the night swallowed him up.

Perhaps the scene when Gavin opened the door might've been something you'd see in a movie, where the antagonist confronts the protagonist with a booming, 'Where have you been?' and chills them to the core. But his father didn't care where he'd been, the boy could die in a ditch and he wouldn't bat an eyelid. His name was Caesar, and Gavin couldn't help wondering if there was any resemblance to the Roman politician who shared it. Both were ruthless and powerful, showing no mercy to those beneath them.

"You're home," Caesar stated as he appeared at the top of the stairs, descending them with purposeful steps.

"Yeah," Gavin responded cautiously, looking around the room. "Where's Eli?"

"Elijah is studying in his room," Caesar glared at his less desirable son, a brow quirking as he changed the subject. "You've been spending a lot of time with that Alsair boy, haven't you? I know for a fact that his parents are in the police force. Should you do anything to get yourself in trouble, I'm not going to pay your bail fee."

His brusque tone made Gavin flinch, though there was a hint of relief as the topic didn't seem to be the one he'd feared.

"I know, sir," Gavin responded timidly. "I'm not a criminal, in fact I want to become a cop myself when I-"

"You've said." The man cut him off swiftly, lifting a dismissive hand. "You want to become an officer of the law because you desire to protect the good citizens of Westland."

It stung Gavin to hear his own words in such a cynical tongue, each one dripped with venom. "You're never going to accomplish anything in life if you keep up this filthy behaviour with Alsair," Caesar scolded. "No son of mine-" He paused, a tiny smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Come here," he ordered, standing by a wooden pillar at the foot of the stairs. Gavin didn't want to go, but making the man come and get him was a foolish idea and would ultimately have bigger consequences. He walked over with a knot in his stomach, made deeply uneasy by that suggestion of a smile.

"Turn around," Caesar continued, satisfaction tangible as the boy obeyed.

Gavin heard the clink of the buckle, the swish of leather as it slid free, but by then there was nothing he could do. The strap wound around his throat like a snake and constricted sharply, tearing a choked gasp from his lips as the boy's body convulsed at the sudden decline of air in his lungs.

"Khh-" He whimpered, hands lifting to rip it away but they were frozen by a single word.

" **No.** "

It resonated with such intensity that his limbs seized up, falling to his sides again as he fought for breath. He wanted to scream and beg but no sound came, vision blurring, yet the voice at his ear was as clear as crystal. It was tight, low and dangerous. When the man was angry, it could usually be described as stentorian, but to use that manner now would ruin the atmosphere he'd built. Another rough tug caused the belt to dig deeper into Gavin's flesh, crimson starting to bead beneath. Caesar slipped the silver stem into place and fixed it there, no longer needing both hands to asphyxiate his disobedient son. He grabbed Gavin's chin and squeezed until his nails tore through the boy's skin.

"No son of mine will ever be a faggot. If you want to parade around like a cheap whore, throwing yourself at boys and bringing shame to this family, you'll never see the sun rise again. Do you understand?" Caesar growled.

Gavin whimpered as tears cascaded his cheeks, the noise lost along with his words. He managed to weakly nod but it wasn't enough. Caesar yanked the belt upward and caused a spray of blood as the boy gave a guttural cry. "Do. You. Understand?" he hissed again, biting the teen's ear and tugging it in his teeth before allowing the tiniest fraction of slack so he could glean an audible response.

"Yes, sir!" Gavin croaked, the rush of air burning his throat as he forced the response.

"Good boy." Caesar dropped the strap and turned on his heel, ascending the stairs again without even looking back at the sobbing child. "If there's any mess, clean it up," he stated firmly, leaving him with that before vanishing from sight as he reached the landing.

Hugging himself as he trembled, Gavin slowly picked himself up from the floor, releasing the catch on the belt so it slid harmlessly from his neck. He didn't need a mirror to know the skin there was lined with bruises, and a deep welt met his fingertips as he gingerly touched the area. At least it was a cold season, a scarf wouldn't be suspicious in this weather. Wiping away his tears with a sleeve, he sniffled quietly and swallowed thickly, the action causing a fresh surge of pain through his throat. Carmine still stained the leather strap, painted across the edge that'd cut into him when it was pulled taut. Maybe there was some alcohol in the kitchen to clean the wound, he didn't want it getting infected. He could drink away the pain, but what good would it do? Killing himself inside was futile, he needed to stay strong for his brother. One more year and he was out of this hellhole, they'd finally be free from Caesar and his sadistic ways. He could endure it, he had to.

Just one more year.


	2. Shattered

### Chapter Two

_"Okay, and what relation are you to the patient?"_

He could hear distant voices, whispering and fading as he fought against the darkness. His vision lay before him in a canvas of ebony, tiny ripples of colour flickering through on occasion. Familiarity intertwined with confusion. Pain played along every nerve as freely as venom traversing the body of newly bitten prey, paralysing each attempt to move. One voice, a swirl of delicate lilac, belonged to the friendly nurse with short blonde hair, a pear-shaped figure, and Beagle-cross called Biscuit. But the other was foreign to him, even as the spectrum licked at the edges of his shadow and tried to break though, he couldn't place the other's tone. 

_"Elijah Kamski. I'm his brother."_

The gentle colours suddenly escalated into a splash of chaos as soft footsteps mixed in, then two voices leapt to life and flooded his world with fierce hues. Too loud, too bright, he was mentally assaulted by both parties as they shouted above him. Slowly, he pried his eyes open and light filtered in, returning the bold to pastel. Both boys stared at Gavin, guilt flitting across their faces. 

"You're awake..." Reece said softly to Gavin, fixing Elijah with his iciest glare. He returned to Gavin's side and gently took the man's hand. "Nurse said you wouldn't be able to open your eyes for a while, but you'd be able to hear me. Are you okay? I mean, of course you're not _okay_ , but are you feeling any better?" 

He lightly stroked Gavin's fingers with an idle thumb, staring worriedly into his friend's tired eyes. Gavin didn't respond, gaze shifting to Elijah. His brother was stood in the corner, looking like a complete stranger. 

When had they grown apart? 

"This is some way to spend your twenty-first, huh?" Reece muttered, a little upset from not gaining an answer. "Want me to remove your 'brother' from the room? I don't mind." 

He didn't like Elijah at all, seeing him as a coward for leaving Gavin to suffer alone. But it wasn't his fault, not in Gavin's eyes. 

"No," Gavin responded quietly. "He can stay. It's about time we got caught up." 

Reece growled under his breath but held his tongue, sinking back into the plastic chair as he tried to ignore Elijah completely. Reece was the one that'd found Gavin with his face torn up, called the ambulance, stayed with him until they'd taken him into theatre, and waited for him to wake again. All Elijah had done was turn up, and still he was considered family. But right now, that wasn't important.

"So, what _did_ happen?" Reece asked, concern in his celeste eyes as he cradled Gavin's hand with his own.

"I fell," Gavin said flatly. Then, when it seemed like neither of them believed him, "There was water on the floor and I slipped. Went through the shower door."

They knew he was lying, but both men stayed silent. It would've taken considerable force to break the glass of the shower pane, simply falling wouldn't account for enough power to even fracture it, let alone smash through. But as Gavin lay there, freshly stitched lacerations across his nose, cheek, jaw and neck, they mutually decided it was better to leave that doubt unspoken.

"You went back to the house," Elijah finally broke the silence, though he seemed to be musing more to himself than starting a new conversation. "You went back despite the fact you know what Father's like. Why?"

His tone was curious but Reece mistook it as accusing, immediately jumping to Gavin's defence.

"He went back for you!" he said angrily. "We've been together for four years without any problems, but an anonymous tip-off said that you'd been badly hurt, and in a rush of guilt he dropped everything and went to save you. Since he just happened to 'fall' through a fucking pane of glass when he got there, maybe it was a set-up and you were the bait!"

Gavin gave a small whimper, bringing the heated discussion to an end as Reece shook his head and went back to comforting his love. 

True, they'd lived peacefully until today. At eighteen, Gavin had moved out of Caesar's house and gone to live with Reece in a two bedroom apartment. They shared rent, split the bill over meals, and with freedom to blossom, their relationship soon moved beyond friendship. Many times, Gavin had asked Elijah if he wanted to join them in the apartment. Maybe if they scraped some cash together, they could even afford his own place. Countless occasions, he'd tried to bring his brother to safety. Yet every time was a denial, Elijah claimed that he was okay, the lab upstairs was perfect for working on his project, and he was quite happy in his current living arrangements.

"Anyway." Reece sighed. "There's no use in casting suspicions now. What's done is done. I've reported it to the police on your behalf, since you always talk yourself out of it."

A soft gasp came as Gavin stared at him in horror, but deep down he knew it was the right call. He simply nodded, closing his fingers a little tighter around Reece's own. 

"We have to get out of Westland," Reece said, his tone firm and authoritative, he wasn't backing down. "A few more weeks and we can transfer departments, so I've put our names down for a placement far from here."

With a gentle smile, Reece leaned in and kissed Gavin on the nose.

"We're moving to Detroit."


	3. Scarred

### Chapter Three

"I don't wanna go," Gavin whined, looking pleadingly into the eyes of his amused partner. "What if they see the state of me and think I'm some punk kid, or a tough guy?"

Reece chuckled softly, ruffling Gavin's hair as he soothed the man with gentle strokes, teasing his fingers through the silken locks. He'd been expecting this apprehension for some time, despite his lover being a full-grown adult who'd completed his training and was more than ready to join the Police Force.

"Trust me, you could _never_ be mistaken as a tough guy. You're too much of a softie," Reece said affectionately, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on the scar Gavin hated so much.

It spread across his nose, the most prominent of his marks, though the rest of his face was interspersed with fainter lines. The gesture caused a light blush to dust across Gavin's cheeks, he captured his lip between his teeth and lightly toyed with it. A sign of submission, it drew a breathy growl from his partner's throat.

"Stop procrastinating," Reece scolded lightly, tapping his finger on Gavin's nose as one might with a naughty puppy.

A smirk formed, Gavin knew he was affecting the younger male. Darting his tongue out, he skimmed the digit and coated it in a light sheen of saliva, curling the organ around to draw Reece's hand towards his mouth. They'd been together for seven years now, Gavin knew exactly how to fluster his boyfriend and keep him distracted. But even as he began teasingly licking at the fingers resting against his jaw, Reece gave a mild shiver and pulled away, shaking his head gently.

"I know what you're doing, Mister," he said breathlessly, cheeks soaked in delicate pink and burning like a newly-lit inferno, "and it won't work. Jeffrey Fowler is a really nice man, I'm sure he'll adore you just as much as I do."

Reluctantly, Gavin gave up and stepped back.

He'd heard Reece talking with the head of the Detroit Police Department, knowing that today was their scheduled transfer and by this time tomorrow they'd be in the big city. But when he'd actually considered the idea of moving to a new place, people judging him because of his scars, and the fact he'd actually be working in the field solving real crimes - it was just too much for his anxiety to handle. However, he knew that as long as he was with his lover, he'd be fine.

"Anyway," Reece continued, "we've still gotta get all our stuff in the van before we can leave, so help me out?" 

With a glide of his hand, he gestured to the pile-up of suitcases in the corner of the apartment. Some were set against the wall, others casually abandoned, with various sleeves and socks hanging out of the gap where the zip hadn't been closed all the way. It was easy to see whose was who, Reece was neat and Gavin was a far cry from anything remotely resembling that. 

Giving a firm salute, Gavin grinned and picked up the first bag. "Yes, Captain!" he responded playfully.

As he walked outside, the sunlight bathed him in a gentle glow. A vivid blue sky stretched out above, birds wheeling and calling to each other as they soared through the fluffy clouds and trilled with excitement for participating in such a fine day. He carefully placed the case right at the back of the van, glancing behind to see Reece join him with another in his arms.

Suddenly, a flash of black caught Gavin's attention.

It darted past Reece and knocked the bag from his hands, causing a pained gasp from the man as he fell to his knees. Gavin raced over, shouting something expletive at the shadow as it retreated, crouching by his lover's side to comfort him. 

"Hey, are you okay?" Gavin asked quietly, reaching to help Reece back up. "What a rude bas-"

He stopped in his tracks, watching with horror as crimson soaked through the fabric of Reece's shirt. It stained Gavin's fingers as he clutched at the clothing to tear it away, bare skin exposed with a rip of material. A deep gash lay beneath, blood welling within and spilling carelessly down Reece's hip before trickling onto the pavement. 

"Oh God-" Gavin choked, bundling up the scrap of shirt in his hands and pressing it firmly on the wound. "Reece, stay with me!" 

He cradled the man in his arms, keeping the cloth in place as he grabbed his phone with the other and dialled 911, tears spilling down his cheeks. Reece gently laid his head against Gavin's chest, his eyes closing as he smiled sadly.

"I love you," Reece murmured, a droplet of ruby staining his lips as they parted. "You'll be okay, I promise."

"No!" Gavin finished relaying the details to the paramedic and tossed the phone down, holding Reece tightly to his chest. "I love you too! Don't-... Don't leave me!"

"You're strong... and you're brave, and you're going to go to Detroit and be the best... officer... ever...__" Reece's voice gradually got quieter and weaker, until it trailed off altogether. 

Sobbing bitterly, Gavin glanced down at him, greeted only with dull, lifeless eyes and a broken smile. He hugged the man's body to his pounding heart and screamed until his throat was raw, body trembling fiercely. Curling around Reece, he buried into his boyfriend's chest as ragged, guttural cries escaped his own quivering frame. 

Several concerned neighbours rushed out to console him, but they couldn't pry Gavin away or stop him keening as he clung to the only piece of his life that mattered, until finally, the paramedics arrived and Reece was gently taken from his arms.

They'd had so many plans, a whole life laid out for them, countless opportunities and adventures awaited them in Detroit. 

 

But in the blink of an eye, Gavin had lost everything.


	4. Lost

### Chapter Four

Reaching out a gentle hand, Gavin stroked the photograph of his late boyfriend. His expression was soft, reminiscent. 

"Can't believe it's been a year," he murmured. "I miss you, Reece. God, I miss you. This place doesn't feel like home any more." 

He sighed deeply, scanning the apartment. It pained him deeply to see the room looking so barren, but he didn't want to leave either. It didn't feel right.

"I know, you said to go to Detroit, but... that was  _our_ dream, I... I can't go without you..."

**Bang! Bang! Bang!**

"Yeah, yeah. I'm comin', keep your hair on," Gavin called, dragging himself up from the couch as he was startled from his thoughts by a loud knocking.

An entourage of meows caught his attention as he walked past, and a fond smile tugged his lips, the man glancing at his box of kittens then turning back to the door. He'd feed them soon, it was coming up to breakfast time for his little ones.

Some bastard had tried to drown the poor things, not even weaned, and he'd seen them toss the bag. Gavin didn't think of himself, simply diving in to save the helpless creatures before they could sink. If he'd gone after the one that discarded them, he couldn't have got back in time, so it was a choice between justice and heroism. 

As he reached the door and tugged it open, his heart clenched painfully.

"Reece..." he gasped, winded by the revelation of who stood before him. "You're dead! I watched you die, I-"

The android lifted a hand to cut Gavin off, reaching to brush away a frond of hair at the right side of its temple. A vivid blue LED lay beneath, swirling calmly. It was identical to Reece, down to the tiny dimple at the corner of the man's mouth. But Gavin knew better, he couldn't mistake the agony burned into his heart by the departure of his love.

"You're not Reece," he spat. "Who the fuck are you?"

Whatever this thing was, it was clearly sent to hurt him, and evidently succeeding. Gavin glared at it with fierce eyes, waiting for a response.

Then it responded in  _his father's_ voice.

"People are replaceable," Caesar stated coldly through the android. "Androids are the future. This version of Reece is more reliable, efficient, usefu-"

It didn't get to finish, Gavin pulled his gun and shot the deceptive prick right between the eyes, stepping back to avoid the splash of azure as it jerked and collapsed. Closing the door again, he sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands.

Androids... the fuck was an android?

More urgent meows broke him from his grief and confusion, composure returning to his features. Ah, his baby boys. It was definitely feeding time, they never missed a beat when it came to telling him. In fact, they were his alarm clock every morning - provided that morning started at 6AM.

"Calm down," Gavin told them softly, getting up and wandering over to the kitchenette.

He scooped a few spoonfuls of milk powder into a bowl and mixed it with water, pouring the solution into a bottle. The bottle was then dipped into the sink which he filled with hot water, and held there until he felt it was suitably heated. A few minutes later, he dabbed the nipple onto his bare arm to check the temperature, and headed over to his kittens. He was satisfied the milk wouldn't burn them, and it wasn't too cold either.

Crouching beside the box, he reached in and scooped up the first kitten, carefully tilting the drink so it could freely drink but wouldn't choke. This process was repeated with the other two kittens - only three had survived - and then he began proudly talking to them as they padded around and fell over each other.

"Simon, you're getting big, aren'tcha?" he praised a Siamese, carefully stroking between its ears. "Pumpkin, you're drinking a lot more now. I was worried about you." 

A little tabby answered to that, sleepily chewing Gavin's fingers. He smiled warmly, spreading them to lightly brush against Socks, a black kitten with white paws. After spending some time watching his furbabies, they began to fall asleep again, sated and content. Gavin pulled away, standing up again with a small stretch.

"Sleep well," he murmured tenderly, sinking back onto the couch as he arrived there.

Pawing at the remote for a moment with earnest fingers, he finally managed to grab it, and turned the TV on. It displayed the news, some big-shot in a suit announcing that the price of beer was rising. It held no interest for him, so he was about to turn it off, when Gavin saw Elijah's face flash up on the screen.

"Elijah Kamski has given a statement, saying that we should welcome androids into our homes," the reporter stated. "This life-changing technology is a new advancement in science and humanity's achievements, there's a possibility it's one for the history books." The cameras flicked to some kind of development lab where Elijah stood in the flesh, about to be interviewed by an eager reporter. "Mr Kamski-"

Gavin flicked off the TV and groaned quietly.

Elijah  _created_ androids?

What kind of sick joke was this?

He shuddered as he thought of the android's words, Reece's lips moving while those haunting messages came through.

' _People are replaceable.'_

It made him angry, rage boiling in his veins. His gaze shifted to Reece's picture once more, and suddenly, he was struck with a fierce determination.

"Machines can't save lives," he muttered to himself. "Machines can't protect the world from criminals. But..."

Gavin got up and grabbed his phone from the side-table, searching it to find Fowler's number.

"I can. I'm going to get that job in Detroit. I'll make every bastard who thinks they can break the law, pay the price. No fuckin' android is gonna take that from me."

He picked up the photograph and hugged it to his chest, eyes falling closed.

 

"And I'll do it for us."

 


	5. Deceived

### Chapter Five

"And this, is your partner. Chris Miller, meet Gavin Reed," Fowler stated in a neutral tone as he gestured between the two.

Gavin offered a shy smile and his hand, eyes shining with the promise of a new adventure.

He'd finally made his way to Detroit, bit the bullet and applied for a job at the DPD as a detective. The incident with Reece's doppelganger still lingered in his mind, especially since it was revealed that Elijah had founded CyberLife at sixteen and hadn't even told his own brother. Not that he'd had much of a chance, but even so. He owned a highly wealthy company, could've left Caesar at any time, yet he stayed. What Gavin didn't know, is that Elijah now shared the big city with him. His brother had finally packed up and moved to Detroit, eager to create his first intelligent android. Watching the news at any time told the world that he'd succeeded, they'd been praising Elijah's name since 2022. But Gavin purposefully ignored all traces of him being mentioned in the media. Elijah had caused that choice when he'd sent a bastard android to his door.

"I look forward to working with you," Chris said eagerly, closing his fingers around Gavin's own.

"Likewise," Gavin responded, shaking his hand gently. Then, to Fowler, "What's our first case?"

Fowler couldn't have sounded any less interested if he was auditioning for a role as a monotone robot. Gavin figured he was one of those growly barky types; they got the job done, but couldn't be mistaken as friendly under any circumstance.

"You've got a homicide, address is in the file," he said, motioning to a desk with  **Gavin Reed** printed on the card.

Studying the room, Gavin could see Chris' desk was quite a bit away from his own. Maybe the officers needed space, he didn't want to be in his partner's pocket, after all. Even so, it'd be nice to have a friend here. Without hesitation, he sat at his desk and logged in with the provided credentials, bringing up the file and noting the location. 

"Alright," Chris hummed, stepping back as Gavin got up from his chair. "Ready when you are."

 

* * *

 

_Meanwhile..._

Elijah pressed a thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose and squeezed gently. The action rose his glasses a millimeter, causing them to glint dangerously as he surveyed the incompetent staff of CyberLife. The brightest minds in science and technology, yet despite the most precise scrutiny when vetting employees, a devious crook had slipped through the net. Someone was working within his company, creating androids that he  _hadn't authorised._ As he scanned the system, three models showed up as unregistered to his name. 

_RC100_

_GV100_

_EK100_

Raising a brow, he opened up the first file for a visual representation of the android... and nearly fell from his chair in shock.

"Reece... This is Reece Alsair, my brother's late boyfriend," he muttered to himself, checking the status. 

**DESTROYED**

If it'd been destroyed, it must've been released first. Someone created a replica of Reece Alsair and sent it into the world. But why? And what were the other models? With anxious taps, he loaded each one. The second was... Gavin. A perfect copy of Gavin Luciel Reed, even down to the scar on his nose. He was almost afraid to load the third, but his suspicions were proven correct and it brought bile to his throat. The third unauthorised model, was an android version of himself.

"Who would... why would..."

Elijah rapidly searched the page, looking down the records to find the creator. Aha, there. The creator of these models was registered as Julius. So now he just needed to find the member of CyberLife staff cal-

Oh.

Elijah Kamski, you absolute idiot.

Julius  _Caesar._

His own father had infiltrated the company and he didn't even know. Had he been so wrapped up in perfecting Chloe that he'd forgotten to be cautious? Logic said he should have it out with Caesar, but Elijah truly couldn't be bothered with confrontation. He erased all three blueprints, blocked the user 'Julius' from accessing CyberLife's systems, and got up from his desk. Whatever Caesar's motives were, it had something to do with Gavin. Their father had always kept them apart, claiming the other to be 'a bad influence', so Elijah wouldn't put it past him to do something catastrophic to ensure they remained distant. Something like... sending an android who looked like Reece, to Gavin's house.

"Chloe?" he called, bringing the model to his side. "Find my brother's current phone number."

Chloe nodded obediently and wandered off to search the directory, she already knew who Elijah's brother was.

Sinking back in his chair, Elijah sighed deeply. He'd contact Gavin; ring him and explain this whole thing. It was about time they patched the void between them. The endless times his brother had offered reconciliation when Reece was alive, made Elijah's heart tighten. He couldn't have joined them, not back then. Caesar's money was being used to fund CyberLife, and if he'd lost that then he'd have been forced to live at home forever, or out on the streets. But now that he was free, surely things could go back to the way they used to be? Before they were defined as the smart one, and the disappointment. 

As he thought longingly about the future, Chloe returned and recited a number to him. Noting the digits, Elijah thanked her and located his phone, keying in the code of contact for his long-lost brother. He swallowed, realising his mouth was suddenly dry. The man wasn't one for emotion, yet he felt nervous now, hands trembling as he submitted the entry and lifted the phone to his ear.

 

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...


	6. Missed

### Chapter Six

"Are you okay?" Gavin asked, wiping sweat from his brow with a pulled sleeve. "That was too close for comfort, talk about goin' in at the deep end."

Chris nodded shakily, taking a few deep breaths to compose himself. He dusted the plaster from his clothes and hair, finally relaxing as it sank in that they'd disarmed the aggressor.

"Yes, I'm just a little shaken," he responded, concern shifting. "Are  _you_ okay? I thought he'd hit something vital."

Sighing softly, Gavin reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The screen was shattered and various pieces of circuitry had been exposed beneath the glass. He looked it over as a frown temporarily marred his soft features, lifting up the ruined cell for Chris to see. 

"Would'a done, if not for this," Gavin said. "Fuck knows where he aimed, but it caught my hip. Think there might be shrapnel in it, don't really wanna check to be honest."

Chris rose a brow, a flicker of emotions cascading across his face. If the bullet had smashed up a phone that badly, what damage could it have done to cartilage?

"Anyway," Gavin broke Chris out of his thoughts, "I should see about gettin' this fixed. Don't use it that often, but I guess now I'm a proper cop an' all, it'll be ringin' night and day?"

A gentle hum came as Chris shook his head. "The job isn't that consuming, though it does help to be punctual just in case anything does go down. Take Hank Anderson for example, he's always first in, but he's also always first out."

He gestured across the room to a middle-aged man with tousled blonde hair, who was crouched by the unconscious shooter's side.

Hank shook his head and grumbled something as he handcuffed the assailant, then noticed the two younger detectives were staring at him. He didn't offer a single word, simply nodding before following the clean-up crew out of the building.

"See?" Chris said. "Not much of a talker but he's a really good detective. Captain Fowler says he might even become Detroit's youngest Lieutenant if he keeps this up."

 _Great_ , Gavin thought to himself,  _Another person who's better than me._

But aloud, he said, "Maybe we should challenge him for it? You'd suit a Lieutenant badge."

Offering a shy smile, Chris just shook his head and closed the subject, heading back outside and making his way to the car.

* * *

 

When they arrived back at the DPD, Gavin said his farewells to Chris and called it a night. He called in at a mobile repair shop on the way back, but was advised to just replace it as it was beyond recovery. Though luckily the sim wasn't damaged, he could keep his old number. It was odd, but he had an incline that someone had tried to call him while they were dealing with a gun-toting maniac who shot the roof and anything that moved. Maybe once he had his new phone, he could trace the number or something. Failing that, he could just call the people he thought it might be. Or... was that the person he wanted it to be?

Elijah.

He wanted that call to be from Elijah, saying something that would build that bridge back up between them so they could cross it and be together again. But even if it was, Gavin would be waiting with a hammer to shatter the foundation. It was too risky to trust Elijah after everything he'd done, plus his brother would reignite so many bad memories with just his presence alone. Yet Gavin longed for the day they'd reunite and learn to live as family again.

...If he didn't get killed first.


	7. Found

### Chapter Seven

"So, what are your resolutions for 2038?" 

"Get drunk less?"

"I might cut out giving a shit."

"Maybe pay more attention to the kids."

Gavin rolled his eyes at the chattering of people as they stood in line for the gym, discussing the promises he suspected they weren't going to keep. Everyone made some kind of stupid vow for the new year, craving better for themselves or others. All he wanted was to stay alive, and those around him to be safe.

He approached the front desk, offering a warm smile to the receptionist. This was the only gym in Detroit that still had humans for staff, everywhere else had been overtaken by those plastic bastards. She returned the gesture, scanning his card and telling him the door number, then he headed upstairs to train.

Fitness was a big part of Gavin's life, he'd decided he needed to stay lean and healthy so he could perform at his best in the field. Generally, his work shouldn't have been dangerous. They went to the crime scenes of homicide victims, it wasn't like the attacker would still be lying in wait. Yet the job had a nasty habit of turning sour when he least expected it. 

Settling under a set of barbells, he loaded on more rings than usual, just to challenge himself. He took a deep breath and lifted the bar with a grunt, holding it above his chest with all his strength while he counted down from twenty. But his arms were unsteady, the weight was too much, and he gave a tiny whimper as he felt his muscles twinge painfully. There wouldn't be enough time to put the bar back into the grooves and he couldn't reach them anyway, Gavin just screwed his eyes shut and waited for his lungs to be crushed.

But... strong hands suddenly lifted the weight from his fingers and gently set it down with a soft clink. As Gavin's eyes opened again, he met with deep ocean ones, sparkling pools of emotion just inches from his own. He felt his cheeks flood with colour, rosen blush staining his complexion as he just stared wordlessly. Beautiful, that's the word that came to mind. Perfectly sculpted features, licentious lips curved into the hint of a smile, and soft russet locks, Gavin was awestruck by the stranger.

"Hey, are you okay?" the man asked in a velvet tone, a look of concern flashing across his visage as he helped Gavin up. "You shouldn't overdo it, you could've been badly hurt."

"I'm fine..." Gavin mumbled in response, shaking his head to clear the dreamlike haze that lingered in his mind. "Thanks for your help though."

"No problem. I'm glad I finally found you." The stranger offered a soft smile, but the statement confused Gavin.

"You were looking for me?" he asked, a brow raising. "Do I know you?"

This caused a shake of the russette's head, a hand extending to Gavin as he announced proudly, "My name is RK900, I'm your new partner."

With a smile, Gavin started to take the hand, then faltered.

RK? Was this guy an android? Maybe he'd misheard, RK seemed like an awfully strange name for a human though.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that?" He shrugged apologetically.

Gavin's distress had clearly shown, as RK seemed relieved for the opportunity to 'correct' himself, and did so smoothly.

"Richard," the man murmured softly. "My name is Richard. Pleasure to meet you, Detective Reed."

Richard's LED was a neutral shade at that moment, it blended into his synthetic skin to the naked eye. Of course there were still outlines, but unless he grew his hair very quickly, there wasn't exactly a way he could cover it. The android had been ordered to conform to whatever best suited Gavin, whether that be following commands, or in this case, pretending to be human. He was a level above Connor, the prototype Detective that held a hostile relationship with Hank and still failed his missions, Richard was the most deceptive kind of negotiator. 

"I have a partner," Gavin said, a look of confusion forming. "No offense, but my partner is Chris Miller."

Panic suddenly set in, his brain forming countless reasons as to why he might need a new companion.

"Wait, shit, is he okay? Are you replacing him?"

Shaking his head, Richard smiled reassuringly. "He's perfectly fine," he said. "Captain Fowler has assigned me to you, that's all I know."

Something about that just didn't rub right with Gavin, though he wanted to spend more time with the handsome Richard, he also favoured consistency and the shift in his usually linear day was worrying.

"Let's head to the station, see if we can clear this up, yeah?" Gavin gestured for Richard to follow, grabbing his bag from the floor.

Gym time would have to be cut short, something was definitely wrong. Maybe it was to do with the android revolution? Hank had already been assigned an android of his own, but he hated it. Fuckin' thing kept 'dying' on him, and since losing Cole, that was the worst thing to put someone like Hank through. Gavin used to have the utmost respect for Hank Anderson, but it faded when the death of Hank's son led to him becoming an alcoholic.

Yes, Gavin knew that losing a loved one was hard, that any kind of suffering made a person want to reach for relief, but drinking wasn't the way to do it. He'd endured countless years of abuse from Caesar and stayed sober, despite there being a liquid painkiller in the drawer. Even after Reece's death, he'd sought counselling, not liquor. 

Richard gave a nod of understanding and fell into step beside Gavin as the two headed back downstairs and out to the waiting car.

* * *

 

When they arrived at the station and Gavin approached Fowler, he started speaking the second he got in the office. Richard waited outside, standing by the detective's chair.

"So there's a guy outside claiming to be my partne-" Gavin began, but stopped as he saw a badge and gun on the desk. "Huh? Whose are those?"

Jeffrey heaved a deep sigh, his lips tightening into a grim line. "Hank's," he responded. "He handed them in and quit."

Gavin felt a pit form in his stomach, a knot of anxiety. It was odd, but something just didn't feel right about Hank's actions.

"He's the toughest guy on the force," Gavin protested. "Stubborn as hell but never gives up. He wouldn't just leave." 

Turning back to his monitor, Jeffrey offered only a sigh. "He just left," he responded pointedly.

Growling in frustration, Gavin left the office and returned to Richard, teeth gritted.

"C'mon," he beckoned his new partner. "We're making a house call."


	8. Saved

### Chapter Eight

"Detective?" Richard pressed gently, staring at Gavin who was collapsed over the steering wheel. 

Gavin had intended to go to Hank's house, but on the way he'd started thinking about Elijah, which in turn made him start thinking about Caesar.

_"Useless little bastard!" Caesar snarled, his voice loud and tenebrous as he glared at the seated figure in the living-room. "I hate your attitude, you're impossible to deal with."_

_Gavin stiffened, cowering a fraction as he heard the man leave the room and begin storming around the house, purposefully slamming things to stir up the boy's anxiety further. He didn't understand what he'd done wrong, all that'd happened that morning was Caesar trying to show him some of Elijah's research, and Gavin being too tense to show any appreciation for the gesture. It might as well have been Chinese or German for all the sense it made to him, and that clearly showed. Sometimes, he found himself wishing he didn't wake up. Night-time was the only relief he gleaned from being alive, when he could hide in the darkness and pretend to be asleep. Was he sleeping? No, he was delaying. He believed that time passed quicker when he slept, and should he only stay awake until the sun rose, the night would last longer and he'd be safe for many more hours._

_As tears pricked at his eyes, Gavin bit his lip softly. He wanted to collect his notes from school and retreat into his room, but then he'd be a coward too. The boy just couldn't win, he knew he was useless and that his very presence annoyed his father beyond measure, but he tried to keep a stiff upper lip and endure the reinforcement of those facts. Nausea rose, pooling in his stomach like molten lead, soon bringing a sharp tang of bile to the back of his throat. He swallowed quietly, just waiting for Caesar to return and attack him again._

_It was inevitable, the anticipation choked him while fear wove threads around his little pounding heart._

"Nnn..." Gavin whined in response, finally stirring as he looked up at Richard. 

The android's LED was swirling in an uneasy gold, his eyes drenched with concern as he reached out to comfort Gavin.

Gavin caught the soft light in his peripheral, but even as it registered, he cognized the fact that he didn't care. He took Richard's hand and tugged the man in, burying his tearstained face into the gentle heat his partner provided. For some reason, Gavin always assumed androids would be cold like vampires, but snuggling Richard was like nuzzling into a warm, cosy blanket.

Before long, Richard wrapped both arms securely around Gavin and placed a light kiss on the man's head. He began to stroke Gavin's hair as he gave little soothing purrs, mimicking the cats he knew his partner loved so much.

From the second he'd met Gavin, he'd known that lying wouldn't last and didn't want to sustain that deception anyway. But he'd feared being discarded by the detective, Richard felt something for him. His code warned him it was deeply discouraged, yet emotion welled for the younger male nonetheless. Seeing how vulnerable he'd looked when he thought nobody could see, how willing he was to succumb to the pain and defeat when he'd believed he was going to be crushed.

He'd never tell Gavin, but Richard had calculated the weight as he'd caught it, and knew it would've been lethal. The bar, upon colliding with Gavin's ribcage, would have caused the bone to splinter and puncture his left lung. The added pressure interfering with the pulmonary artery would then have led to him drowning internally in his own blood. Upon preconstructing this, the android had realised something. Despite only just meeting Gavin, he didn't want the man to die. 

So, right then and there, he'd broken through the code telling him not to act without order, and saved Gavin's life.

"You're okay," Richard murmured, nestling into Gavin's hair. "I've got you."

As much as he didn't want to ruin the moment, he still sensed Gavin's earlier urgency. There was something they needed to do, and though Gavin required consoling, that thing remained undone. 

"We should get going," he said softly, lightly brushing the GPS with his fingertips.

It held Hank's address, a good reminder of their current unofficial mission. 

Nodding shakily, Gavin took a deep breath before gripping the steering wheel and keying the ignition again. The car roared to life, rumbling impatiently, engine growling for action. He wasted no time in kicking the throttle and flooring the accelerator, heading for Hank's house without another second of hesitation.

When they arrived, they saw Connor leaving the house. His LED was uncertain amber, the android glancing back in worry.

Ironic, Gavin thought, considering how a lack of emotion had probably driven Hank to whatever stupidity he was about to undertake. 

"Hold him," he ordered Richard, jerking his chin at Connor before pushing past the surprised model and sprinting into the house.

Gavin stopped in his tracks, the colour draining from his face as he watched Hank lift the muzzle of his gun. Shit, was he actually planning to-?

"What the fuck are you doing?" Gavin said, causing a mildly shocked look from the broken Lieutenant, though Hank was too numb to show any further emotion.

Hank sighed quietly. "I've nothing to live for," he responded in monotone. "Cole is gone, Connor... he's just a machine. I thought he could be more, thought he could patch this void inside, but..."

Shaking his head gently, Hank rose the weapon another fraction. 

An icy chill washed through Gavin. He took a step closer, feeling the weight of his words as he realised they could mean life or death. 

"Believe it or not, and I'm the  _last_ person who you'd expect to be saying this, I think androids  _are_ capable of emotion," Gavin said. "Me an' Chris have dealt with a lot of deviants since this android thing came about, an' shit, they seem to be rising up to fight for freedom, so who's to say that there isn't really somethin' inside 'em?"

He glanced through the condensated window at Richard, who was holding Connor as requested.

Richard flashed him a sympathetic smile, LED a still blue as he said something unheard, to his predecessor.

Gavin's attention returned to Hank, but the man's eyes were still dull and tired.

The barrel of the gun pressed to the lieutenant's head now, Hank simply closing off. "Connor doesn't," he muttered. "There ain't a scrap of humanity inside him."

As he spoke, Hank pulled the trigger.

* * *

 

Both androids looked up in equal measures of panic as a gunshot echoed through the house. Connor's LED circled in fierce red, Richard's own shifting to match. 

"Gavin..." Richard faltered, straining to try and see through the misted pane which lay between he and his partner.

"Hank?" Connor gave a small whimper, suddenly struggling in Richard's arms.

Unbeknownst to Richard, Connor had stood across from Amanda in the Zen Garden, snow sprinkling his jacket and melting softly in his hair. He'd been ordered to stop fighting his code, then dismissed and left to freeze to death. But even in the frozen wasteland that his mind now resembled, he'd heard that ominous sound. Feelings assaulted his newly formed soul, wracking it with pure agony. Yet he tore through, he had to, for Hank. He'd recalled Elijah's cryptic promise of a backdoor, and despite all odds, he'd clawed the crumbling foundation, gripped the last thread of hope and dragged himself out of CyberLife's vice grip. 

Richard looked down at the android, eyes narrowing in confusion. But he let Connor go, intending to follow him inside.

Throwing the door open, Connor shot back into the house and Richard followed suit.

They found Hank and Gavin on the kitchen floor. Both parties were covered in a thin layer of dust, neither moving.

Connor immediately scanned his partner for a pulse, finding a frantic beat. He pounced Hank and hugged him tightly, tears flowing down his cheeks as he held the lieutenant so tightly that Richard could swear he heard something crack.

Hank blinked twice in disbelief, patting Connor's back reassuringly. He wasn't sure what else to do, or exactly what'd happened, but finally he felt the connection he'd been craving since meeting Connor. Something human, something real. Someone he could invest emotion in and have it requited. "Son..." he mumbled, throat hoarse from the countless bottles of Black Lamb he'd poured down it. "Con... am I dreaming?"

A freshet of relieved emotion descended as Connor shook his head, smiling uncontrollably. "No, Hank. I... I'm deviant, I... I deviated for you..."

Richard retrieved Gavin from the floor, pulling the man firmly back into his waiting arms. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. "What happened?"

There was a slight smirk from Gavin, though it was evidently a cover for the instability still felt. "I shoved his gun away an' tackled him to the floor. He shot the ceiling."

Laying his head against the rhythmic hum of Richard's thirium pump, Gavin gave Connor and Hank one last look. 

The two were still embracing, Connor sobbing freely as Hank looked slightly awkward, but held a fond smile.

Gavin grinned, peering up at Richard to see his expression. It was warm and tender, the way a lover would gaze upon their partner.

Richard's cheeks dusted with celeste as he became aware that he was staring, and he broke away from the scene, tugging Gavin along. He was happy his predecessor had deviated, that Gavin had saved someone's life, and the world he saw now, was not as scary as the one he'd been promised.

Freedom felt good.


	9. Soaked

### Chapter Nine

"Alright, what've we got?" Gavin asked. 

Leaning back in his chair, the detective threaded his fingers and stared at Richard over the desk. 

The two had been transferred to homicide in place of Connor and Hank, who were back to investigating androids. Gavin was unsure what'd happened after they left Hank's house, but their workmates definitely seemed in higher spirits upon returning the next day. 

"Number eighteen, Bordeau Street," Richard said, handing over a paper folder. "Our man is nicknamed The Surgeon. We don't have any information on his appearance yet, but here's a list of all his victims." 

Gavin accepted it and began to leaf through the files, murmuring the findings aloud to himself.

"They're all aged between sixteen and twenty-four, employed, and the bodies are always found near CyberLife stores. Every victim is found with a laceration across the throat, and a scrap of unmarked black cloth inserted." 

Looking up at Richard with a slightly disgusted expression, Gavin gave a small shudder. "Inserted... into the wound?" he queried. 

Offering a light shrug, Richard nodded. "We suspect it was done with tweezers, the results wouldn't be so precise if it were carried out by hand," he said. "Analysis on the cloth suggests it's a ripstop fabric, usually found in uniforms." 

Growing more confused, Gavin stared at Richard like he'd grown antlers. "Ripstop fabric?" he asked.

Richard scanned his database for a moment, his LED circling in soft mellow as he processed the facts, before relaying them shortly after. "Ripstop fabric is cotton or nylon, woven in a way that makes it resistant to tearing and ripping," he explained. "People who have to endure a lot of combat might use them for example, like a member of the military."

Oh. That made sense. Gavin pored over the notes a little longer, then something occurred to him and he looked up again. "Run a background check on the victims, find out where they worked," he said. 

Offering a playful salute which reminded Gavin of a certain someone, Richard loaded up the computer and began to research. He frowned at the screen, eyebrows knitting together like tempestuous clouds as it yielded no results. "The victim's families insist they were employed, but there's no record of them working anywhere," he murmured. "The bodies were all found naked, save for the cloth of course. Something about this just isn't right."

As Gavin listened, he bit his lip thoughtfully. "What if they were police officers?" he asked. "The fabric could be part of their uniform, right?"

"Yeah," Richard responded. "But then there'd be a record of them joining the force, and there isn't one."

True, that part didn't seem to add up. But it only made Gavin more suspicious. "Number eighteen, Bordeau Street," he said. "That the address of the latest vic?"

Nodding in confirmation, Richard arched a brow. "Mhm. What're you thinking?"

Gavin shook his head, his expression chagrin. "Nothin' I can voice just yet," he said. "Let's go and investigate the body, see if it'll tell us anything new." He hopped up from his chair and stretched lightly, heading for the door with the assumption that Richard would follow.

* * *

 

An hour's drive later, Richard was knelt over the body, assessing the corpse with great interest. "Found anything?" he asked Gavin, who was pacing the area, and looked deeply uneasy.

Gavin leaned heavily against the glass front of the CyberLife store, eyes lidded as he sighed deeply. "Nothin' yet," he said. "This has gotta be bad for business though. I wouldn't come here if they kept finding bodies on the doorstep." 

"It's not ideal. Every store in Detroit has been temporarily shut down due to being a crime scene," Richard said. "Maybe our killer has a grudge against CyberLife? A lot of people don't like the new system."

It was a possibility, but there wasn't enough evidence to suggest that. "Nothing indicates that our vics are CyberLife employees," Gavin said, adding as an afterthought, "Or androids." As he took a knee beside Richard, he reached out to touch the scrap of cloth with gloved fingers. It rather chillingly matched the fabric of his own jacket. "I still think they're cops," he muttered.

Richard peered down the victim's body to the DPD-provided modesty cover. He gently lifted one corner to show the victim's thigh, which had a littering of tiny red marks on the skin. The other side yielded identical results, and a scan revealed them to be fingernail indentations. Though no DNA remained, this was a new addition that none of the other bodies had possessed. "This would suggest that the victim was grabbed by his legs," he said. "Maybe held down? There's signs of a struggle." Multiple sets of nail marks told him that the victim had to be gripped more than once, perhaps he was trying to kick at his killer or wriggle away.

"What kind of sick bastard..." Gavin growled under his breath, tipping his head back as he let his eyes close. He was getting a crick in his neck and a stormcloud in his mind, the detective needed a time-out. 

Gentle drops of rain began to lightly sprinkle the crime scene in a fine sheen of water, sparkling on Gavin's hair as it clung there. It soaked his face and brought palpable relief, easing the heat he didn't know had seized him. Inhaling slowly and releasing a deep breath, he patted Richard on the shoulder and got to his feet. "There's only a couple of stores left open," he said. "I think we should send officers to all of 'em and see if we can catch The Surgeon when he goes to drop off his next vic."

Something about the way Gavin stated that, made Richard rather uneasy. He caught Gavin's hand and held it there. "Please tell me you're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting," he said. 

Gavin crinkled his nose and squeezed Richard's fingers. "I can't put others at risk and not go myself," he responded. "Besides, we'll have the element of surprise and the ability to catch him red-handed." He smiled reassuringly at Richard.

"What could go wrong?"


	10. Caught

### Chapter Ten

Gavin swallowed softly, shifting uneasily from foot to foot as he waited outside the CyberLife store and watched the setting sun dip below the horizon. There was no need for him to be nervous, a team of trained officers were just meters away, and ready to pounce the second anything suspicious happened. Yet he couldn't fight the foreboding notion that something terrible was coming. Stood in isolation, exposed to the world - it felt rather like he was bait.

"Reed, c'mere a sec," one of the officers called, or so he assumed. But when he went to the side of the building, nobody was there.

"Must be hearin' things..." Gavin muttered, making his way back to the storefront.

As he walked, footsteps began to echo his own, causing the man to look back in confusion. Suddenly, his world descended into darkness as something coarse and scratchy was dragged over his face and held tight at his neck. He started to cry out but a hand firmly clamped over his mouth through the rough fabric. Gavin dug his heels in as the stranger proceeded to drag him away, though it was to no avail. Blindly feeling around his person while he struggled, he reached for his gun. But it was gone, and so were his cuffs. However, he soon felt them close around his wrists and click into place. 

Shit! 

Trying his best to make any kind of detectable sound, Gavin struggled fiercely. This clearly displeased his assailant, as seconds later he felt a jarring pain bite into the back of his skull. He collapsed to the ground, retching briefly before falling unconscious from the blow. 

* * *

"Nhh..."

When Gavin awoke, he was in a dimly lit room. A cold stone floor stretched out beneath him, and his hands lay in his lap in thick steel chains. Glancing behind revealed that his right ankle was firmly shackled too, though he was free to move the other. His head was still ringing from whatever had hit him, but that wasn't important right now. 

There was a silhouette stood before him, tall and slender. The Surgeon, he supposed, though it'd be bloody ironic if a different criminal had just happened to grab him instead. 

Inside, he was terrified. But Gavin didn't show that, he had to act brave if he wanted to survive this. The basic rules of surviving a hostage situation were to delay as long as possible, try to gain information on your captor, and don't annoy them. 

...two out of three wasn't bad.

"Is this where you bring them, then?" Gavin asked, his voice soft and low. "Am I gonna end up like the others, murdered in cold blood and left without a stitch of-"

Clothing!

He hastily scanned himself again, relieved to find that he was still fully dressed. Though maybe that bastard stripped the bodies afterwards, who knew what went on in the twisted mind of a killer?

"Yes," The Surgeon responded flatly, voice muffled by the surgical mask he wore. "But relax. I don't always give my toys the full experience, some are simply caught and killed." He sounded amused.

Gavin shuddered as an icy chill pooled at his spine then darted up. He didn't want to ask what 'the full experience' was, but judging by the marks on the victim yesterday, he had a pretty good idea. There was literally nothing he could do to stop himself becoming the next body they found, so he had to keep talking. That was his only hope of survival. 

"Do I know you?" Gavin asked, wishing he could get a better read of the voice in case he recognised it. "Did I do something to you, or am I just another of the type you target?"

The Surgeon tilted his head slowly, staying unseen in the shadows. "Your capture was premeditated," he said. "The others were just unlucky."

"Why?" Gavin persisted, leaning forwards. "Why are you doing this? How do I know you? What are you trying to prove?"

All his questions were ignored as The Surgeon pressed a gloved finger to his masked lips. "Shhh. You don't need to know everything right now, we have plenty of time. I'm not going to kill you _immediately_ , maybe I won't kill you at all. I could just keep you down here. My chained little pet. So cute, so fragile."

Gavin wanted to bang his head against the wall as his teeth gritted in frustration. Whoever this psycho was, he knew them. Or so they said, it could be delusion. Yet the actions of this man were not those of someone plagued by insanity. They were far too calm and calculated to be driven by anything but a focused mind. So who was it he knew that could do this, that was capable of murder?

Not Elijah, never. And obviously not Nines. Chris was no murderer either, he knew that for certain.

"Don't believe everything you hear, Gavin," The Surgeon purred. "I have no reason to be honest with you. I know your little detective mind is going crazy trying to figure out who I am, but all in due time. Maybe you don't remember me, or maybe you don't know me at all. I knew the names of all my victims, yet we only met the day they died. But, since I know you're craving at least one clue to cling to, I'll tell you something I know will tie off a loose end."

The Surgeon stepped closer, his face concealed by a pair of sharp-rimmed glasses, and the elasticated cloth at his jaw. "But it'll cost you. Nothing in life is free, you know."

Gavin instinctively shrank back, his heart pounding as he stared at the man. No matter the price, he wasn't willing to pay it. But he had to query, every minute of conversation provided an opportunity for The Surgeon to slip up and give away his identity. "What do you want from me?" he asked in a small voice.

There was a soft chuckle from The Surgeon as Gavin's question hung in the air, fingers lifting to pull his mask down just a fraction, voice taking on a honeyed tone.

"My dear, sweet boy. I want to see you suffer."


	11. Freed

### Chapter Eleven

"Hnn... aah..."

Giving little cries of pain, Gavin watched as crimson descended his fingers and pooled on the floor beneath. The Surgeon had knocked him out again after their conversation, waking him with his hands cuffed behind his back and waist chained to the wall. An eight inch kitchen knife was buried in his shoulder, the silver glinting with every sharp twist of the blade.

The Surgeon was enjoying watching his prey squirming and sobbing, he suspected there'd be some ligament and nerve damage, maybe enough to cut off use of Gavin's arm completely. But it wasn't enough, he needed more. In a teasing voice, he began to taunt the tortured man.

"You were  _so_ much more vocal when we began," he purred. "Are you giving up? That's no fun, Gavin. I'll have to do better. Unless..."

He left that word hanging in the air as he released the knife but left it in place, progressing to the other side of the room. Opening a chest, he pulled out a metal device that somewhat resembled a melon in size and shape. As he returned to Gavin, he split the two halves on a hinge, revealing the inside was hollow and lined with spikes.

"Unless?" Gavin pressed weakly, his voice faded from hours of screaming. The knife was far from the start, his body already held a myriad of lacerations from where The Surgeon had grabbed a scalpel and slashed at him in a rather frenzied manner, and he'd felt the vice grip of a gloved hand around his throat which had rammed his head into the wall until his vision blurred. 

Returning to Gavin, The Surgeon tenderly stroked his captive's cheek. He pressed a button on the side of the device, causing the spikes to retract. "Unless you say what I want to hear," he said. "This little beauty is rather like an iron maiden, only it's just for your head. I'm going to lock it into place while we play together, and you have a minute to figure out what I want from you, and say it. If you fail, I'll re-activate it and-"

Gavin watched in horror as The Surgeon demonstrated, the spikes bursting through the casing at speed. He had no idea what this psycho wanted, but it didn't take a doctor to know how much damage that thing would do. Even if it was just blind guessing, there was no other choice at this point but to push for every piece of information he could. "You... said... I'd... nnh... get to tie up a loose end," he panted. "Please..."

Tilting his head curiously, The Surgeon considered this, then nodded. "True. I  _am_ enjoying seeing you suffer. Very well. You probably figured out that my victims are all police officers, and that there was no record of them joining the Police Department despite that fact. I set up a fake training centre for those who wanted to join the force, and they flocked to me like eager doves."

What did this guy have against cops?

One eye closing as Gavin fought through the pain, he urged himself to keep talking. "What... what is it you want me to say?" he asked. "There are... so many chances to... get it wrong." 

The Surgeon clicked his tongue, a cruel smile outlined beneath his mask. "My name. My name, and title. You know it, deep down you know you do. It feels right to you, my obedient little boy, so don't fight it."

Name and title?

Gavin had no clue on the name, but maybe the title was Doctor or something? 

If there was a way he could stumble onto it with endless guesses, he at least had a fraction of hope that he could get it right.

"Oh," The Surgeon added, "if you get it wrong, your time is up. It has to be correct the first time." Leaving no more of a clue than that, he locked the cage around Gavin's head. Then he grabbed the knife again and yanked it out, stabbing it into Gavin's thigh instead, beginning the process once more.

Crying out in fresh agony, Gavin choked back as much anguish as he could, focused on the task at hand. He closed his eyes firmly, wracking his brains for the answer. The man didn't have much time to think before The Surgeon started talking to him again.

"Does it hurt?" The Surgeon hummed. It wasn't rhetorical, he wanted an answer.

"Yes!" Gavin sobbed out.

Now, The Surgeon's eyes glinted dangerously behind his glasses. The test was in progress. "Yes, what?" he asked expectantly. 

Gavin froze up. The way the voice punctuated those words sent him back through time, jolted a memory deep inside which stirred to life and presented him with the same situation. A trial in which he endured torment, and satisfied his assailant by saying-

"Yes, sir!" 

He wished he could see The Surgeon's reaction. His body seized in terrified anticipation of the spikes tearing through his flesh, but all he gained was a pleased murmur.

The Surgeon nonetheless reached for the button, aiming to activate it regardless of Gavin's success. He wanted to hear the man's voice break as it screamed his moniker. "And my name?" he pressed.

There was no response from Gavin, the realisation still dawning as it drowned him in unadulterated fear and disbelief. Only one person in his life could bend him to their command like that. The Surgeon, the one that'd killed all those people, and held him hostage now, was none other than-

"Caesar!" A voice suddenly burst through his thoughts, and it wasn't his own. There was deeper tones within it, undoubtedly matured and shifted from age, but still he'd know it anywhere.

"Elijah!" Gavin gasped in a mixture of relief and fear. Yes, his brother was here. But in the same room as a maniac. He hoped Elijah had enough sense to bring company.

Whether he couldn't hear him, or didn't think responding was a good idea, Elijah didn't divert his attention to Gavin. Instead, he jerked the muzzle of the gun he held in both trembling hands, glaring at the man they once called Father. "It's all over, Caesar. The police are outside, this place is surrounded. Let him go."

Caesar smirked, shaking his head. "Well, well. The other son that betrayed me. Pray tell how you knew I was here?" 

Elijah glanced at Gavin, biting his lip softly. "I created Richard, Gavin's android. Although deviants have free will and I had no doubt Richard would become one, I asked him to keep track of Gavin at all times. Gavin's phone has a bug inside, one that lost signal when you brought him down here, but the second you went outside, it connected back to us and gave us the location."

The way that Elijah said 'us', made Gavin think that he and Richard had been working together to find him. Even in a situation this dire, that thought warmed his heart a little. 

"Enough talk," Caesar growled, losing patience. "I finally have the moment I've been preparing for all these years, and you're not taking it away!" He gripped the head-cage firmly, and moved hastily to jam the button down.

**Bang!**

Gavin felt something warm and wet spatter across his bare limbs, flinching as he heard a thud just inches away. The spikes stayed retracted, yet his heart still pounded in petrified anticipation. The rhythm blended with advancing footsteps, which halted as they reached him.

"Shhh... I've got you," a soothing voice murmured, gentle hands unlocking the cage and removing it. "He's dead. I shot him. Elijah said there's laws against  _him_ taking a human life, but my kind don't even have rights yet, so I doubt that applies to us."

Flawed logic, but Gavin didn't care about that right now.

As Richard released the chains and shackles, and carefully removed the knife, Gavin threw his arms around the male and hugged him tightly. His body was hurting badly, and his blood stained Richard's shirt as the android lifted him in strong arms, yet he felt safe and content. He snuggled into his partner, eyes closing while all the energy drained from his lightly trembling frame. 

He could faintly hear Elijah in the background, saying something about wounds, blood loss, and a lack of time, but all that faded away as he drifted into a deep slumber against Richard's chest.

"Gavin?" 

The voice was barely audible now, even as it grew more frantic, it just blended with the lull of silence which pulled him in.

"Gavin! Can you hear m..._"


	12. Transferred

### Chapter Twelve

"Hey..." Richard murmured in greeting as he settled beside Gavin's bed and squeezed his hand gently. "How are you feeling?"

Gavin shifted a little, his head feeling woozy, and vision slightly blurred. He shook his head to clear it, offering a warm smile. "I'm okay. Just a bit fuzzy. What's the prognosis, Doc?" Before Richard could respond, he continued, "Wait, before you tell me, I... I need to get something off my chest."

A slightly pained look formed in Richard's eyes, but he let Gavin speak. His own news could wait. "Go on?" he said, giving the man a curious look.

Taking a deep breath, Gavin sat up a bit. Elijah was nowhere to be seen, but if he were here, then this would be awfully reminiscent of a scene he'd earlier lived through with Reece.

"From being a child, to graduating and becoming an officer, I've suffered my demons," he said. "Yet I always had help from the sidelines. Once I lost the one most dear to me, I thought I could never love again. Waking up in the morning seemed pointless. I had no will to live, just existing 'cause I was too much of a coward to stop." He took Richard's hand in both of his own. "But then, I met you. From the minute I saw you, I knew a light had appeared in my dark world."

He smiled tenderly, staring into Richard's vivid blue eyes. "You reminded me of everything I wanted to be when I was younger, of who I am. And when I was apprehended, it was thinkin' of you that kept me strong. I wanted to survive so I could get back to you, cosy up in your arms again. You taught me that androids  _can_ feel, you were there for me when I needed you most, and I really hope you'll have me, 'cause I never wanna let you go."

A sheepish grin formed as Gavin felt his cheeks warm. "But enough bein' soppy. Gimme the news. Will I live?" He was of course joking, figuring that since he was sat in a hospital bed, he clearly hadn't kicked the bucket last night. 

Richard was about to answer, when Elijah tugged back the curtain and came into the room, carrying a small tray with biscuits and coffee on it. The android gritted his teeth and gave a small growl in his creator's general direction, LED circling in soft amber.

"Have you told him yet?" Elijah asked.

"No," Richard grumbled. "Because everything in the universe seems to be aligning to stop me."

As he smiled in amusement at the disgruntled deviant, Gavin looked around. This wasn't like any hospital he'd ever seen, there were no other wards or beds for one. It seemed like a room had been thrown together for him, and now he got the feeling he was in someone's house. Most likely Elijah's, maybe that was the news.

"Tell me what?" he asked, smile fading as he realised how grim the expression was on Richard's face.

Richard bowed his head as though mourning, his voice breaking. "You died, Gavin," he said. "They did all they could to save you, but that bastard had damaged your body beyond repair. You needed transfusions, they managed two before we lost you. Between the external and internal bleeding, it was impossible to-" He stopped, choked with emotion. 

Gently patting Richard's shoulder, Elijah took over. "You were suffering from a bleed on your brain," he continued. "Not to mention the countless other injuries. In its weakened state, your body couldn't maintain function, and it shut down. You died on the operating table." 

Head pounding like a pneumatic drill, Gavin stared at them both in disbelief as his stomach churned and heaved. He doubled up and retched uncontrollably, but nothing came. Richard attempted to comfort him, whilst Elijah simply watched with saddened eyes.

It took about ten minutes for him to recover, then he swallowed thickly and reached for his partner's hand again. "But... if I... died... how...-"

Elijah reached into the bedside table and drew a mirror from it, passing it to Richard, who held his pseudo-breath as he lifted the item and turned it towards Gavin.

There, reflected within, Gavin saw a blurry spot of red. As he focused his gaze, it formed a ring, one which swirled and danced while he watched it. With shaking fingers, he reached to touch the glowing circle, brushing across the light in a delicate stroke. 

"I've been working on transferring consciousness," Elijah said. "An idea that worked in theory, but I'd never had chance to test it in reality. Neither did I want to. Though in a circumstance such as this, we were left with no choice."

"Androids are living beings," Richard added quietly, sounding rather like Elijah had put those words into his mouth. "With souls. It turns out that the chassis and components are not only a combination for sentient life-"

"But also a vessel for sustaining it," Elijah finished. "When I first discovered the unauthorised creation of androids in CyberLife, I checked the systems and found Caesar's prototype of Reece. Alongside it, was mine and your own. I deleted them on the spot, but the blueprints came to mind again when we only had an hour to save you. It isn't Father's design, I re-did the entire model from scratch and inspected the quality myself. I know you wouldn't have wanted this, had you known it was possible, but..." he trailed off.

Gavin lifted a hand to calm him, a faint smile on his lips. "I... admit, it wouldn't have been my first choice," he said. "But I'd already decided to stand up and fight for android rights alongside Richard, and what better reason do I have than this one?" He gave a soft chuckle, "You've both saved my life now, can you just leave me to my own devices in future?" But he was grinning, soaked with relief that he could finally relax, and spend the rest of his existence with the one he loved. 

As he spoke, Gavin's LED returned to a calm blue. He flashed a mischievous smile at Elijah, feeling a new energy building inside his synthetic heart. "I can't put my baby bro out for too long, and what kind of adventure will we get from hiding away? I joined the DPD to help people, and that's what I'm gonna do.

So Richard, as soon as you're ready, we're going to Jericho."


	13. Connected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The previous chapter 13 was an April Fool's joke, did I get you? 😇  
> It has been deleted now, as not to interrupt the flow of the story.
> 
> Alright, back to business. ^.^

### Chapter Thirteen

"You'll be safe here, you can stay as long as you like." A soft-toned android with russet skin crouched at Gavin's side, offering a gentle smile as he spoke. "Everyone is welcome at Jericho." He gestured to the little group which was crowded around. "This is North, Simon, Markus, and I'm Josh."

North, Gavin noticed, was glaring at him. She had fierce sepia eyes and long blonde hair, seemingly depicting some kind of viking warrior. Simon didn't seem so aggressive, he resembled an angel of sorts, the classic golden locks and baby blues to match. Markus was unreadable, he seemed neither defensive or welcoming. A set of heterochromic hues scanned Gavin with curiosity, but no comments were made.

"Here." Richard broke the tension by returning to Gavin's side - he'd previously wandered off to find supplies - and setting down a bottle of thirium. "You need to drink plenty, and stay warm."

Gavin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Androids can't get sick," he muttered. "You're being silly." Though as he spoke, he sniffled on occasion and felt little rushes of heat and ice through his chassis. There was only one way into Jericho, and it involved swimming. Somehow, despite technology being perfect and androids synthetic, he'd managed to catch a cold. Richard insisted on wrapping him in blankets and making him lie down, something he felt was completely unnecessary, but complied anyway.

The main members of Jericho dispersed after their introductions, leaving Gavin and Richard alone together. 

Gavin stared at Richard with puffy eyes, fluid forming at the corners and beneath the lids. His nose was sore and moist, it was highly uncomfortable. Not to mention the fact his cheeks were coated in... eye juice, which frequently streamed down every time he blinked. It was rather hard to deny being ill when every other minute was filled with a snuffling noise, and rather aggressive inhalation as opposed to using a tissue. He was aware of how gross he looked, and it was honestly pissing him off.

"Why are you lookin' at me like I'm some kinda baby animal? You're not allowed to see me like this, it's illegal," he said sulkily. 

Richard giggled quietly, a musical sound, and ruffled Gavin's hair affectionately. "It's cute to see you vulnerable. A fully-fledged murderer couldn't tame you, yet you've been taken down by a human virus. A common one at that."

It took Gavin a moment to realise the man was teasing him. "It happened in War of the Worlds," he grumbled, giving Richard a light push on the arm. "And I'm not cute!"

"You're adorable," Richard hummed. "Like a newborn kitten, all damp and mewly." 

"But I-" As Gavin started to protest, Richard pressed a finger gently to his nose and softly said, "Boop."

It stunned him into silence, his cheeks lightly dusting with celeste as he froze for a moment. Then a shy smile formed, and he grabbed Richard's hand with both of his own, cuddling it to his chest. He'd never really experienced what it felt like to be fawned over, and now it was mentioned, he was rather tempted. 

Richard watched in surprise as Gavin sat up from the blankets and snuggled into his chest with a little purr. A look of confusion formed while he was nuzzled, but he couldn't deny enjoying it.

Gavin rubbed his head against Richard's neck, maintaining the rhythmic hum as he pawed at his partner and twitched his nose. Something in the back of his mind was screaming about dignity and appearance, but this was the man who'd been tense and guarded his entire life, and could finally let go. Curling up in Richard's lap, he laid against the softest part of the male's frame and closed his eyes. 

Now he understood, Richard was enamoured by the display. He began to lightly stroke Gavin's hair, uncaring that North was watching them with an incredulous expression. It didn't matter, nothing mattered but this wonderful time where they were safe and together.

Sure, they could go out and fight. They could die heroically in battle, but for what? Whose heroes would they even be? Dying in the revolution just meant that when it was all over, they wouldn't live to see androids gain freedom. What kind of reward for bravery was that?

No, he had to protect his partner. The deviant in his arms was just as fragile as when he was human, perhaps even more so. A deep surge of affection suddenly washed over Richard, gentle hand placed under Gavin's chin as he tilted it up and leaned in. 

Gavin was startled for a second, then the expression shifted to one of bliss as their lips met and warmth flooded his body. Jericho melted away, his hands lifting to capture Richard, tangling his fingers into the man's hair as the world shifted around them. He was faintly aware of strong arms cradling him, two hearts beating in perfect harmony when their forms met, crushed against each other in a collision of pure passion.

"Ahem."

Which was quickly shattered by the rather strained tone of Markus, since he didn't want deviants coalescing on his floor. Or on any surface, really. 

As Gavin and Richard exchanged flustered glances and broke apart, Richard couldn't help but notice Simon in the background. The blond was staring at Markus with a dreamlike expression. Something unspoken seemed to be going on there, but now was not the time to question it. 

Richard dragged his attention back to the situation at hand, reluctantly putting distance between them until the stern lines in Markus' brow relaxed again. "Sorry," he said meekly. "I started it..."

Markus took a deep breath and frowned. "I'm ending it. You're making the others uncomfortable." He studied Gavin momentarily. "Ordinarily, a human wouldn't be allowed to stay," he said. "But you're one of us now. You're one of my people. So you're welcome here, as Josh said." After leaving that to sink in, he added in a more scornful tone, "But kindly don't fornicate in Jericho." He walked away before either of the two could respond, though Gavin was hiding a giggle.

Gavin stretched lightly and returned to Richard's arms, waiting until Markus was out of earshot before speaking. "He's just mad 'cause he's not gettin' any." He grinned. "Let's see if we can't find a room and break the rules, mm?"

Richard tutted at him, though it was clear he really liked that plan. "You're staying here and resting until the virus passes from your system," he said firmly. 

"Can't you install antivirus software?" Gavin whined. "I'm a machine now, right?"

A soft chuckle came, Richard playfully rolling his eyes. "Not that kind of virus, not that kind of machine. Now get some rest or I'll send you to Markus' office for being a bad boy."

The comment caused a faint smile from Josh as he overheard it. In a way, Markus was a kind of teacher, he supposed. Also, there was something rather cute about the two new deviants. Maybe the fact that they were everything society rejected, yet they were still together. Humanity shunned things it didn't understand, homosexuals, androids, races and religions. But despite all odds, love could still be found and treasured in this world. It gave him hope.

Casting one more look at Richard and Gavin - who were blushing and teasing each other - Josh turned and followed Markus upstairs, aiming to persuade him into a peaceful protest.

Spilling blood wasn't the way to win their freedom, no matter the colour.

 


	14. Determined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ( Thank you for all your feedback and lovely comments, the story will be continuing! ^.^ )

### Chapter Fourteen

It'd been a few weeks since Gavin and Richard had come to Jericho. They mostly went out on supply runs during the night, staying inside the freighter when the sun was high. All the while, Markus prepared for the revolution. He still planned to attack the camps, but they couldn't just go in unarmed. Friction formed between Josh and North, an icy tension could be felt in the air whenever they locked horns. 

Settling down beside Gavin, Richard kicked off his boots and ruffled the man's hair. "Something on your mind?" he asked softly. "You've been staring at those crates for a while now."

Gavin broke from his reverie and offered a wry smile. "In my own world again. It's better than this one." He reached over to Richard's hand, synthetic skin retracting to show the pure white chassis beneath as their fingertips connected. "Remember when we went out a few days ago and I said it felt like we were bein' watched?" 

A concerned tic formed above Richard's left eye. Gavin often suffered paranoia since the warehouse incident, sometimes he spoke about Caesar in present tense, as though they hadn't watched him die with a bullet through his skull. "Yes?" he said patiently. "What about it?"

There was a pause, a look of unease. "It might be  _him_ ," Gavin whispered. "He's always scheming, plotting, you know we're not safe here!"

With a gentle sigh, Richard plucked the man from the ground and pulled him into his arms, resting his chin lightly on Gavin's head. "He's dead, Gavin. Remember, Elijah and I came to save you, and I shot him?"

"Right... right." Gavin nodded slowly, starting to calm again. "I remember, I just-" He cut himself off and shook his head, nuzzling against Richard. "I'm just cautious, that's all."

Markus walked over with an air of importance about him, addressing the two. "We stopped sixteen of our people from shutting down with the supplies from last night," he reported. "Good job." He studied Gavin with a raised brow, noting the anxious demeanour. "Are you okay?"

Before Richard could explain, Gavin dismissed him. "I'm fine," he said. "And don't mention it. Here to help. Hey, Markus?"

"Mm?" Markus' other brow lifted. "Yes?"

Gavin looked thoughtful. "When we raid the camps, we'll be making a violent stand against the humans. Against... my brother."

This was clearly news to Markus, he dropped into a crouch as not to stand intimidatingly above his people. "Elijah Kamski is your brother?" he asked. "Does he know you're one of us?"

"He was the one that put me in this body," Gavin responded. "Hell, he might even help us if I ask. It's not like reputation matters to him any more, he went and hid after making his debut at CyberLife."

"Normally I wouldn't involve a human in our fight," Markus mused. "But one of our deviants already has a human with them, a little girl. The aim is to live peacefully among them, so it's not unreasonable." He sighed softly. "What are you thinking?"

Gavin bit his lip gently. "I'm thinkin' of going to see Elijah and asking him to speak out for us, make a public announcement that our kind is valid and deserves freedom."

Markus nodded. "It would certainly help. But if you go out and get caught, the humans will kill you, or read your memories and find Jericho. We run that risk anyway with the supply missions, but this isn't crucial and could potentially undo us." He shook his head and lightly touched Gavin's shoulder. "I can't let you go."

A brow quirked, Gavin's eyes filling with defiance. "You can't stop me," he countered.

The look that Markus gave him suggested many unspoken things, it quelled the rebellious fire before flames could even form. "Don't test me," he responded icily.

Luckily, Markus had already turned and left by the time Gavin recovered enough to show a middle finger to his back. He was scowling, eyes dark and teeth gritted. "He's such a freakin' killjoy," he muttered. "I think we should go out anyway."

Richard was conflicted. He adored Gavin and didn't want to see him hurt, but knew the man wouldn't back down so easily, and further conflict could get them exiled. "It'd be easy enough to find Elijah if we left Jericho," he said. "There are countless deviants here, Markus wouldn't miss us if we sneaked out."

As delighted as Gavin was that Richard was on his side, he planned to go alone. "You need to stay here," he said. "I won't be long. I'll find him, talk with him, and head straight back."

This caused a look of protest from Richard, though he agreed, if a little bitterly. "Fine. Go alone again. If anything  _does_ happen then you've got no defense, but what does that matter to you."

Gavin stared at him in surprise, relenting as soon as he realised how much hurt his partner was hiding. "...You can come too."

"Thank you." Richard beamed and pecked Gavin on the nose, his warm demeanour soon returning. "Come on then, let's go before Markus checks on us again."

The duo gathered a few supplies that nobody would miss, and collected a bag together. Richard kept guard while Gavin slinked to the entrance of Jericho, taking a deep breath as he waited for his partner to join him. Once Richard arrived, he threaded their fingers together and the two stepped out into the crisp night air.

 


	15. Trapped

### Chapter Fifteen

Laughing and teasing each other, Gavin and Richard stumbled back into Jericho.

They were exhausted, the walk had been long and arduous, but victory was achieved and Elijah promised to speak out for the androids in favour of their freedom. He also informed Gavin that Caesar's body had gone missing, though not to read too much into it since it's not like he could've walked away after a bullet through the cerebral cortex. 

As they arrived, a blockade of androids greeted them. Their LEDs flickered in gold and ruby, dancing like newly lit flames as the duo were surrounded. Gavin and Richard were suddenly seized by the surrounding rebels, their limbs grabbed and held firmly despite the struggle which ensued. Gavin fought fiercely but to no avail, a painful jolt through his shoulders soon forcing him to submit to a state of inertia. 

Markus appeared at the head of the crowd, which parted as every formation of androids lined up like soldiers. Obviously there was no rehearsal for this, it just happened due to the sheer power and importance that Jericho's leader exuded. They stood in two groups, forming walls at either side of him as he progressed to the frozen deviants who were pinned in place by the strongest rebels. His tone was scornful and accusing, eyes like burning coals, staring them down. "You left Jericho," he growled. "Despite my warnings, despite my  _orders,_ you disobeyed me and went against my wishes."

As Gavin started to speak, Markus cut him off with a single glare. "Our refuge has already been compromised once," he said, giving the duo a very disapproving look. "There are no escape routes here. No river to jump in, no ship to sink. If they find us again, we're _trapped_." He stressed certain words, making it crystal clear that the situation would indeed be dire should any consequences follow Richard and Gavin's foolish act. 

**"This is the Detroit Police, we have you surrounded. Come out with your hands up. Surrender now, or you will all be destroyed."**

The look that crossed Markus' visage resembled a stormcloud about to rain endless thunder and merciless lightning upon those in its path. He cast a gaze through the church window, familiar swirls of blue meeting his iced eyes as he saw the barrage of cars awaiting any deviant who should leave Jericho. 

Gavin bit his lip so hard that celeste beaded and stained his teeth, thirium pump convulsing and twisting in a deeply uncomfortable manner. He couldn't bear to look at Markus, though the glance he dared to glean burned him to his very core and left him thoroughly scorched. 

Sparing them no more of his time, Markus stormed away from the two without a word, headed for his designated speech podium. 

North intercepted him shortly before his arrival, though they voiced the same conclusion in the end. "We have to attack," she urged. "There's no way we'll get out of this alive unless we show them that we're stronger. There's more of us, we can outnumber them."

"I agree, but they've got guns and armor," Markus protested. "We needed more time, we were supposed to be ready-"

"We're out of time," North spoke over him. "It's now or never, our people will be slaughtered if we just bow down to the humans."

Simon finally spoke. He'd been standing there a while, just observing. "Our people will be slaughtered anyway," he said. "Whether they shoot us here or take us to camps, it's over."

North didn't find that particularly helpful in addition to the conversation, a look of frustration forming. "Then what have we got to lose?" she asked. "It's time we rose up and showed them what we really are."

As the three debated what to do, Josh silently crossed the church and made his way to Gavin and Richard. "He already made the decision to choose violence," he said to them quietly. "Rather than Markus attacking the camps, humans have brought the fight to us. The blood we spill will be on our hands, it can never be a victory."

**"I repeat, we have you surrounded. Surrender now!"**

"What if..." Gavin paused, giving Richard an uncertain look. "What if I go out there, explain that I'm taking refuge with the androids? It's our department, Rich. They know me, they'll assume I'm still human."

"No!" Richard exclaimed, rather irked by the fact that the guarding androids supported Gavin's suggestion by releasing their hold and walking away. "You'll be killed on the spot!"

A grimace came from Josh, concern painted across his gentle face. "Trying to explain that you're living in harmony with us is definitely a better solution than launching an attack," he said. "But you're part of us, part of Jericho. You shouldn't risk your life as if it matters any less than ours."

Gavin grimly shook his head. "It's my fault they're here in the first place," he said. "If I hadn't gone out, they couldn't have followed me back, couldn't have found us." 

Without waiting for further protest, he pushed past Richard and sprinted towards the church door before anyone could stop him. Taking a deep breath for calm and confidence, he pushed the doors open and walked through, lights and sirens swallowing him up as they closed again.


	16. Detained

### Chapter Sixteen

As Gavin was arrested by the surrounding officers for 'perverting the course of justice', he glanced back to see the rest of the armed teams charge the door to break it open. Everyone was still inside, including poor defenseless Richard. He wanted to run back, to stop them, but instead he was pushed into a car and the doors were locked. However, he _was_ being treated like a human, so that meant they didn't know about the change. A silver lining to his cloud of worry. Even so, his bold gesture had gained nothing in advantage, he'd simply been detained. It was still all his fault.

* * *

A couple of hours later, they arrived at a tall, unfamiliar, office-like building. The forces were branded as Detroit Police, right? 

So, why weren't they at the DPD?

Both officers left the car, unlocked the doors, and dragged Gavin out. They'd declined to handcuff him, but their combined grip was enough to keep him from running. Now, he got a better look at the badges. They were  _not_ Detroit Police, nor did they look like they even knew how to be. Something about the two was a bit... off. As they marched him into the building, his jaw nearly hit the floor.

"...Father?"

His reaction wasn't one of disbelief, he'd believed Caesar to be alive for some time. But then, he really wasn't supposed to be. 

"I think you'll find that's 'sir' to you, boy." Caesar fixed him with an icy stare, darkness in his eyes. 

This was the man that Gavin remembered, the other had been far too jovial, even in his tortures. But if the Surgeon hadn't been Caesar, who was he? And how did he-

"...did you send an android version of yourself to do your dirty work?" Gavin glared at him, the pieces fitting together. It was rather surreal, he felt, but so was Caesar's death. A man like that wouldn't go down so quickly, wouldn't even put himself out in the open. It'd all been very anticlimactic, as though someone was going to pop out of the warehouse ceiling, and tell him he was on candid camera. That it was all a joke.

"You're not as foolish as you used to be," Caesar almost looked impressed. "There's a chemical in thirium which makes it blue, but if you add the same composition as red ice, it turns the fluid crimson. Perfect for fooling your deadbeat son into thinking he just watched his own father get shot." A hint of resentment shone through his words, evidently he'd watched the whole thing, but not actually been there.

"Elijah cut your access to CyberLife," Gavin growled. "How are you still in control of these bastards?"

Caesar shrugged, probably the most casual thing he'd ever done in his life. "Elijah isn't the only one who can create androids. As I told you, people are replaceable. And it's your own fault. If you'd just listened to me as a child, none of this would've happened."

Oh, it was  _his_ fucking fault, was it?

If his arms hadn't been pinned, Gavin would've swung for Caesar. He was no longer a frightened little kid. 

"Don't you dare! It's not my fault you killed countless people!" he snapped. "It's not my fault you're a psychopath!"

Caesar gave him a look that could freeze beer in the brewery. " _I_ didn't kill anyone," he said crisply. "But yes, it is. I asked you one thing, boy. One. Simple. Thing. Stay away from Alsair. Not only did you disobey me, you went out of your way to continue that defiance. Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

A look of deep annoyance formed. "I didn't think I needed your fucking permission!" Gavin snarled. "What does that have to do with anything anyway?"

"If you'd done as I requested, he'd still be alive. Unless he died in an accident or something, I can't control everything." Caesar shrugged again, apparently it was something he'd added to his repertoire.

Gavin's face creased in pain. "He  _did_ die in an accident," he growled lowly. 

Caesar gave him a rather sadistic smirk. "Did he now," he said, tone rhetorical. "I'm fairly sure I didn't pay a man to carry out an accident."

"Y-you―" Gavin faltered, paling as he sank to his knees and groaned weakly. "Y-you didn't―"

A very satisfied smile appeared on Caesar's lips. "I did. You refused to listen to reason and remove him from your life, I took matters into my own hands."

"Bastard..." Gavin looked up, pure unadulterated hatred burning inside. "You murderous bastard!" He lunged for Caesar, the two officers grabbing him again. Now it made sense, they were just androids under Caesar's command. It'd been a trap, and he'd walked right into it. 

"Yes, yes. You want revenge, his blood is on my hands, etc, etc." Caesar rolled his eyes, addressing the two androids. "Lock it up," he ordered, gesturing dismissively. "I'll deal with it later."

It?

Did Caesar know about the android body, or did he just always see Gavin so lowly?

Regardless, Gavin had no time to puzzle it over, and his head was screaming from the fresh grief and anguish of the revelation. Caesar killed Reece. It wasn't a random attack, that bastard actually fucking hired to someone to kill his sweetheart. 

Gavin shouted every curse word under the sun at Caesar as he was pulled from the room, soon pushed towards a stairwell descending into darkness. There was no choice but to keep walking, they'd likely shove him down it if he protested. Nonetheless, he attempted to turn and rush past them, growling at the barricade which they quickly formed with their bodies. One of the officers gripped his shoulder and roughly sent him flying down the steps onto the cold concrete below. 

The blow resonated through his skull, causing a faint whine, before he weakly reached for nothing, and fell unconscious.


	17. Cold

### Chapter Seventeen

When he awoke, Gavin was alone. Thick steel chains bound his wrist and ankle, one of each bolted to the wall with very little slack. As he tugged at his wrist restraint, he realised it was far too easy to tug free from. The two were connected, pulling on the ankle chain caused some slack, a soft metallic sound heard as it was dragged through the wall. The shackle prevented it from pulling out from the stone completely, but at least he could stand now. With a weak groan, he got to his feet and leaned heavily against the nearest solid surface. His head still twinged with pain on occasion from colliding with the floor, but otherwise he wasn't injured. By extension, he wasn't naked either. Since his encounter with the Surgeon, AKA Caesar 2.0, Gavin feared the worst when it came to waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. Even so, the clothes that remained on his body were tattered and torn, barely enough to keep the cold out.

Androids, he remembered, could pop off their limbs. But when he tried it, the agony was too great to endure, and he was forced to give up. Looking around his stone cell, he blinked in the dim light and tried to get his bearings. There was literally nothing there, except him of course. It was barren, quite large, about the size of Fowler's office, and had no windows, or cracks in the masonry. Concluding that he wasn't going to find an escape at that moment, he sank down again and hugged his knees.

What did Caesar want with him? If it was simply to remove him from the equation, he'd be dead right now. Sure, he knew the bastard had a history of violence, but wasn't that a little outdated? Gavin wasn't a kid any more, he wasn't _scared_ any more. The things he'd lived through were proof of that, no coward lay in this stone prison. Questions stirred in his mind like a boiling cauldron, licking at the sides and spitting at random intervals. 

They were about to be answered.

Footsteps could be heard descending the staircase, a creak of the door came and he was no longer alone in the room. 

"How did you sleep?" Caesar greeted him conversationally. His voice was icy and strict as always, but a smile lingered in his eyes at seeing the man stripped of his dignity. 

"Unintentionally," Gavin replied flatly. "What the hell do you want?"

"You~" Caesar stepped towards him, an expression crossing his visage of something that Gavin had never seen before, and never wanted to see again. 

It caught Gavin off-guard, a look of panic forming. "M-me?" he asked, feeling his heart sink. "The fuck is  _that_ supposed to mean?"

"You're a smart boy," Caesar purred. "Figure it out."

 

Oh, Gavin did not like that.

He did not like that one bit. 

 

"Stay the fuck away from me!" he snarled, reaching for the nearest thing (a small shard of rock which had fallen from the wall when he dragged the chain through it) and launching it at Caesar's head.

Caesar didn't even flinch, he just let it hit him. Crimson poured from the wound, staining one side of his face and dripping wetly onto his collar. His only reaction was a horrifying smile. "You like to play rough, do you? Poor Reece, he didn't stand a chance~"

Gavin growled in response, swallowing thickly. He'd have honestly preferred it if Caesar had just come down to beat the hell out of him. This was tenfold more terrifying.

"All that stuff you said," Gavin spat. "All that bullshit about not being gay, and you're doin' this?!"

This paused Caesar for a moment, his head tilting in a rather sickening manner, like a puppet with steadily snapping strings. "For once in your life, you're right," he hummed. "I didn't realise at first, but after watching you for all this time, I finally understand. I didn't like him near you because I wanted you for myself. And now, I have you. You're mine."

Gavin retched, fingers scrabbling in the dust to find another deterrent weapon. There were no more loose stones. "I'm your son!" he shouted. "The fuck is wrong with your head?!"

"Yes," Caesar agreed. "You _are_ my son. You belong to me. I own you. I couldn't do anything before, not like this. You were human, protected by the law. Sure, I could've sent an android after you, but I want to do this myself." He stood above Gavin now, looking down at the man with a sadistic smirk. "This isn't a crime. There are no rules against it. I'm just damaging a machine. I'm just using a machine for  _its purpose._ My pleasure."

Biting back a whimper, Gavin tried his best to remain fierce. He wanted to cry. "Your android killed me!" he exclaimed. "You can't have planned that!"

Caesar gave him a Cheshire Cat grin. "If he hadn't, Elijah wouldn't have been able to transfer you into an android body, therefore I wouldn't have you now. I made sure the wounds gave you enough time to be transferred, it wasn't an instant fatality. You really must stop underestimating me."

Gavin groaned quietly, anger and fear tangling in his mind. "Is there any part of my life you haven't manipulated?!" he snarled. "Leave me the fuck alone, I'm not your toy!"

"Debatable," Caesar crouched and gripped Gavin's chin, digging his nails in. "You're in my basement, chained, and at my mercy. I'd say that fits the description very well."

Gavin's LED was burning in pure red, various flickers of code swirling in his head. He didn't answer, focus shifting. If there was even a hint of possibility that Richard could hear him, it was worth a shot. Time was fast running out, he needed to get an SOS out as soon as he could. The option of contacting Richard hadn't been there before, it'd just appeared now, resting in his peripheral. 

_Richard? Can you hear me? I need your help!_


	18. Genocide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may notice that this chapter isn't named like the others. This is because it's Richard's point of view, not Gavin's.
> 
> That's all, on with the story! ^.^

### Chapter Eighteen

Genocide.

They're killing us, we're lined up in rows like animals waiting to be slaughtered. Every so often, one of the soldiers comes by and knocks one of the people up ahead to their knees. I think it's a show of power, but they claim it's because we're not stepping forward in time. rA9, I feel naked without my skin, and cold... so cold. Gavin gives the best hugs, warm and cosy. I love feeling his heartbeat against my chest, his arms around me... I miss him so much. 

He got arrested for us, he ran out of Jericho like a martyr with no regard for his own safety. A human risked his life for an android, that in itself is worthy of making history. 

I'm aware that he's a human in android form, but body and soul, he was human first. 

If I get destroyed, will CyberLife send another of me?

Will I even be me any more? 

But Gavin, if I focus on him for a moment, I need to know he's okay. If they find out he's an android, they won't send him here, they'll kill him on the spot. All I wanted was to spend my life with him, I can't have him taken from me, not now.

If I try to kill any humans, they'll gun me down. I'm outnumbered there, no amount of strength will get me out of this. 

_Richard..._

Huh?

I look around in confusion as a voice weakly breaks through to my mind, sounding deceptively like Gavin's own. 

**Gavin?**

_Richard! Thank God, I thought they'd killed you!_

My relief is tangible to anyone surrounding, I almost fall to my knees as I hear his soft tones again. 

_Where are you?_

**I'm in some kind of camp... they're rounding us up, killing us in big machines.**

**Where are _you?_**

_Shit... Hang in there, okay? I know that sounds dumb, but we're gonna be okay._

_And I'm... with my father. It's a long story, I'll tell you when I see you again._

_He's just taunting me from afar, I'm not really listening._

_But I don't have much time, forgive me if I go quiet for a bit._

_Fuck. I gotta go._

**What's happening over there?**

**Gavin?**

**Gavin?!**

As the connection breaks, I curl my fingers into fists and groan softly. Whatever's happening over there, he doesn't want to tell me. It's never a good sign when he goes quiet about something. As much as I want to attack the nearest human and take my chances with the guns, my best bet is finding a way to the fence which pens us in, and breaking through that. 

The line moves forward again, we're getting closer to the front. Someone runs, taken down before they can make it a few paces. I wince and turn away, my attention suddenly fixed on the fence. Two androids are slinking towards it, both petite and slender. One is definitely female, the other's a child so I can't really tell. As I'm watching, she's being grabbed by a soldier, but... she's too strong for him! She's got his gun around his throat, choking him with it, but he's putting up a fight. I can see the sheer panic in her eyes, the little one watching in equal horror. 

He's dead. She's looking right at me, seeming to ask if I judge her for what she's done. I shake my head gently to assure her that I don't, and in the confusion I'm moving towards the fence, following her through the gap as multiple fights break out between our kind and theirs. But we're on the other side now, running and staying low. 

Not a word passes between us, the little one clinging to her side as we sprint away from the massacre, blood of both colours soaking the ground. A truck of some kind lays at the end of the path, countless corpses tossed onto it. She looks at me again, an unspoken message. We have to play dead if we want to get out alive.

I nod and help her onto the truck, watching her lift the little one with us. Laying amongst the lifeless bodies, we take inert forms but keep our eyes open. She puts a hand on the child's shoulder, comforting them both. It seems like all that's left to do is wait for the journey to the dump, hopefully we can escape from there. With time enough to think, I try contacting Gavin again.

**Baby?**

**Sweetheart, are you there?**

_Richard..._

His voice is wet and muffled, it sounds like he's been crying. Androids have the same voice internally and externally, emotion soaks into it regardless of the source.

**Gavin, what happened?**

_Don't... don't try and save me..._

_Just run... get away from here..._

**Gavin...**

_It's too late!_

_I'm... not getting out of here, I... I can't..._

**I escaped the camp, I'm coming to get you.**

_I'm sorry... I-I'm so sorry..._

**I'll be there as soon as I can, I promise.**

_Richard, I..._

**No. No apologies. You've done nothing wrong.**

**We'll be okay, right?**

_No... nothing will ever be okay again..._

**Don't say that! You c-**

He's gone again. I felt his agony as he spoke, heard the anguish in his voice. Whatever's happened, I'm going to kill Caesar. 

But for now, all I can do is pray to rA9 that we get to the dump soon. The truck's started, we're on our way at least.

 

Gavin...

Please stay strong.

 

I love you.

 

 

 


	19. Damaged

### Chapter Nineteen

Gavin groaned weakly as he awoke, blood caked on his lashes. This was a very familiar feeling, yet somehow worse than he remembered it. His body was littered with bruises, soaked in crimson. It flaked and peeled on his skin, but stained his remaining clothes right through. Fingernail indentations lined the curves of his body, hips, thighs, waist, some had been temporary, others marred the flesh in crescents. 

Caesar was gone, to his great relief, but that wouldn't last.

He remembered fighting with the man, punching, kicking and screaming.

He remembered Caesar staggering backwards as blood poured from his newly broken nose.

He remembered the first blow, resonating through his own skull as bone collided with bone in a shattering impact.

Everything was a blur after that, he couldn't see, or really hear anything, but he could feel _everything_.

It was a happy accident that Caesar's plans had to be postponed, Gavin might even call it serendipity in the most ironic of tones. The attack was meant to disarm Gavin, stop him from struggling - or rather, stop him from _successfully_ struggling. Apparently, seeing his son beg and fight for escape was part of Caesar's fun. 

If he hadn't managed to deal a hit enough to stun Caesar, the man wouldn't have beaten him to a bloody pulp. 

If he'd stayed conscious after that, the man wouldn't have stopped.

As bitterly as he regarded himself for thinking that way, he considered last night's altercation to be the lesser of two evils. A reminder that fighting was always better than just rolling over and letting someone rip your guts out. 

But Richard, poor Richard. In the last few minutes before blacking out, Gavin had told him to stay away, that it was too late to save him. He must be going out of his mind with worry, though as a small comfort, Gavin reminded himself that Richard wouldn't see Caesar's corrupted intentions as the worst case scenario. Nobody had seen that coming, least of all, himself.

Though... he could believe Gavin to be dead, which wasn't nice either.

_R̶̘͛̅i̵͉̟͂c̸̯̓͂h̴̡͙̾a̵̭̾r̵̤̺̃d̵͉͊̿?̵̪͗_

His voice came out tinny and distorted, he could hear the glitches and reverberation in it as he attempted to form a connection with his lover. 

Damnit, there was no way he was getting through like this, his modulator must've been damaged, or... whatever androids spoke with. But before they'd been lost to each other, Richard had promised he was coming to save Gavin. That must mean he'd made it out alive, or maybe even-

No... Markus could've had succeeded in the revolution, he'd been detained with the others. 

Caesar's heavy footsteps thudded down the stairs, fuelled by anger. He didn't address Gavin, too busy talking in a rather stentorian manner to someone on the phone.

"I don't care if you think they're alive," Caesar barked. "Call them off!" Then, "Well you invented the things, surely they'll listen to you!" Then, "If you ever want to see your brother alive again, I  _strongly_ suggest you do as I say." Then finally, "Fine. But it was your choice."

Glaring fiercely at Gavin, Caesar shoved his phone back into his pocket and stalked over to the man, grabbing him by his hair and yanking him sharply to his feet. "You listen to me," he spat. "You-"

**Gavin? Detective Reed, can you hear me?**

Caesar certainly heard something. He froze, glancing behind as a loud banging could be heard from some distance away.

Then, considerably closer.

_M̵͎̖̂ä̴̭́r̶͍̀k̵̘͘͘u̴̘̽s̷̤̃͋?̷̪̇_

**We're coming to save you, hold out for as long as you can.**

As Markus' voice drifted through Gavin's mind, it was unclear if he'd heard the man or not. But either way, the message was clear.

The basement door burst open, torn from its hinges. Caesar dropped Gavin and turned his back, shielding the man from sight.

"Go away!" Caesar growled, tugging his belt loose and brandishing it, since it was the only weapon he possessed at this moment. 

But the androids were undeterred by this, flooding into the basement in mass.

Gavin's head had hit the wall as he fell, his vision currently blurred. But as it cleared, he looked at who was spearheading the mass of deviants.

It was Richard!

"Gavin!" Richard rushed over and knelt beside the man, pulling into a firm but gentle hug. "Thank rA9 you're still alive!"

"Rich..." Gavin murmured, then with more passion as he realised he wasn't imagining this, "Richard! You... you came..."

"Of course I did!" Richard nuzzled into Gavin's hair and cradled him like a child. "You're my world, sweetheart. I couldn't just leave you here."

While they cuddled, Richard pressed Gavin's head a little more firmly into his own toned chest, covering the man's ears and obscuring his sight. He could see what Gavin could not, and didn't want his love to witness something so traumatic as seeing or hearing Caesar being torn limb from limb.

The time for peace was over, war had been declared and nobody was backing down. 

Despite Richard's efforts, Gavin heard the agonised screams, the sickening crunch of bone, a visceral spatter as it drenched the floor and began soaking into whatever porous surface it could find, a myriad of fearful sobs and breathless cries for mercy, and then... silence.

Markus tossed a pair of bolt cutters to Richard, who snapped the cuff binding Gavin to the chain and by extension the wall, then scooped him up and began to walk.

He passed Caesar's mangled corpse, the deviants dispersing to accordingly dispose of it in various ways, carrying Gavin outside.

Sunlight greeted Gavin's eyes, streaming gently onto his skin as he shifted in Richard's arms and tried to hide his face. Birds were singing softly overheard, interspersed across a vivid blue sky with cotton clouds. 

Arriving at his destination, Richard stopped. A group of police cars were waiting, along with an ambulance.

To Gavin's great relief, they weren't there to arrest the androids, but to see him to safety now the ordeal was finally over. 

Richard set the man down on a designated stretcher, giving a grateful look to Chris and the other officers standing by. To his great surprise, Connor, Hank, _and_ Elijah were mixed into the crowd of concerned onlookers, each portraying a deep sympathy for what Gavin had endured. 

"He's been through a lot," Richard said to the paramedic, squeezing Gavin's hand gently before climbing into the ambulance. He didn't hear a response, Elijah was already talking as he approached. 

"I'll meet you there," Elijah said, the doors closing. "Take care of him, all right?"

Richard nodded solemnly, then responded, rather quickly since the gap was rapidly getting smaller;

"With rA9 as my witness, I swear he won't come to any more harm."

 


	20. Protected

### Chapter Twenty

A soft yawn came, as Gavin sat up in bed and stretched sleepily. 

It'd been a few months since the incident, and he'd been released from hospital with countless bandages and splints for various breaks and fractures. One of his ribs was shattered, his left arm broken, his right leg had to be reset completely since pieces of synthetic marrow had been jutting out through the skin. Gavin later admitted that Caesar had stomped on it for his defiance, he was keeping quiet about the injuries otherwise.

Richard had managed to coax every detail from him, having to gently persuade him into letting the doctors do anything. It was safe to say that the man was skittish, Richard thoroughly understood that. Who wouldn't be after something so traumatic? But eventually, he was wrapped up like a kitten in cotton, and sent on his way a few days later.

"Good morning," Richard beamed, setting a breakfast tray on Gavin's lap. It was laden with all sorts of delicious things, which were surprisingly, as normal as they looked, all made from thirium.

Elijah had been working not on androids, but on android-safe beverages. He'd concluded that since androids were still not accepted in the world, they'd have to blend in, become human in a way. So, his next project was thirium-based produce, and it'd been a huge success.

Gavin looked over the tray, pseudo-saliva forming as he saw all the delectable food. Honey-soaked bacon, juicy sausages, runny fried eggs and fluffy potato waffles drizzled in butter. Oh, it made his synthetic stomach growl. 

Just like licking a coin would produce a copper taste, or coughing up blood might give the impression of iron on the tongue, Elijah figured that different chemical compounds had different flavours. All he'd needed to do was create nice tastes, and the rest flowed easily. 

"Good morning~" Gavin purred in response, eagerly digging into the spread with gusto. He could feel Richard watching him, head slightly tilted, but that didn't cause any concern. Richard had been watching him a lot recently, sometimes he stayed for hours just staring, occasionally scanning him to make sure everything was still okay.

"A new Jericho has been formed," Richard said conversationally. "Now they've stopped checking for androids at the border, everyone's headed over to Canada to regroup. Markus swears he'll return to shut down CyberLife once and for all, but he needs more numbers and more time. Also, if CyberLife shuts down completely, we won't have anywhere to get spare parts or blue blood."

Gavin rose a brow. "You say everyone, but we're still here," he said. "Shouldn't we join them?"

A look of unease crossed Richard's features. "It's better that we stay," he replied. "Just for now, just until you're stronger. You're not like other androids, you can't just replace a limb if it breaks, or order a new biocomponent. You're Elijah's most advanced model. Instead of pipes and suchlike, you actually have organs, just like your old self. Filled with thirium, of course. You have a skeleton composed of a marrow-like fibre which has the ability to knit back together just like a regular bone, you have a pseudo-keratin in your nails and hair which means they actually grow, he went all out on your design. Why do you think we needed a hospital to fix you up?"

Richard paused, biting his lip gently. "They thought you were human when they took you into theatre, and even when you bled, it was the new type of thirium, crimson. Yes, you're a machine, but inside and out you resemble a human. And you're delicate, so delicate." He took Gavin's hand. "I have to protect you..."

"They... thought I was human?" Gavin blinked twice. "But androids are supposed to be superior, why am I in such a weak body?" 

A flicker of fondness appeared in Richard's eyes. "Your soul rejected the regular form. It was trying to operate functions that didn't exist. But you don't understand. What makes you strong is not your body, but your spirit. We're all built with the same structure, yet we're all unique with different strengths and weaknesses. All that matters is that you're alive." 

Gavin smiled softly, his eyes shining. "Yeah? That's... really nice. Well, if it's my will that makes me strong, I guess I'm ready to go outside again. Let's go to the park."

Now, Richard held a rather mischievous look. "Before we head out, I need you to stay in bed just a little longer, clear everything off the sheets, and close your eyes," he said, already leaving the room. "I'll be back soon with your surprise."


	21. Relaxed

### Chapter Twenty-One

As Gavin waited, he began to keenly listen for any signs of his beloved's return. He could hear scuffling outside the door, a hushed whisper of unintelligible words, then silence. 

"Close- Mmf! Get down, naughty boy. Close your eyes." Richard was cut off mid-sentence, laughing quietly as he attempted to control... something? before finally coming into the room as Gavin closed his eyes.

"Were you talking to me, or it?" Gavin asked with a grin, causing Richard to affectionately ruffle his hair. 

"Both of you," he responded, "You're both naughty boys." He set the wriggling thing in Gavin's lap, lifting the man's wrist to gently rest atop a warm pelt of fur.

Gavin's eyes snapped open before he was given permission, but the squeal that came was so worth a slightly early spoiling of the surprise. "OH MY GOSH HE'S SO CUTE!" he gasped without pausing. He lifted the surprise carefully in both hands, holding it firmly around the middle, but not squeezing tight enough to hurt.

It was a little fluffy German Shepherd puppy, black and tan, with a black snout and shiny nose. His tail looked like it'd been dipped in paint at just the tip, a perfect cone of ebony at the crest. As Gavin looked closer, he saw a line of tan just an inch or so from that twitchy sniffer, which ran across about a centimetre. 

"Is that natural?" he asked, Gavin, not the puppy. "It looks just like-"

"Yes," Richard grinned. "That's partly why I chose him. He has a nose line, just like you. You're matching."

Gavin lightly booped the marking, getting his finger licked. "I hope nobody pushed  _him_ through a shower pane," he murmured, then added in an audible voice, "He's so cute!"

"He's all yours," Richard said proudly. "You get to name him, he's been sleeping in a blanket that smells of you, you're basically his daddy." 

Gavin rose a brow. "We both are," he corrected. "I've never been a parent before, what should we call him? And is he-"

There was no sign of an LED, but android pets had been available to buy for a while now. Though even if he was, it didn't matter. Gavin would love him just the same, just like he loved Richard.

"Is he what?" Luckily, Richard didn't seem to follow Gavin's thought process.

"Is he going to sleep with us at night?" Gavin improvised, though he did feel the need to ask that. "We should set boundaries, right?"

Richard shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I already let one adorable mess sleep in my bed, I don't mind another."

Gavin gave him a playful push, careful not to overspill the now sleeping puppy in his own lap. "Cheeky. I think we should call him something reliable, cute, and soft. Like you. How about... Buddy?"

The pup's ears perked, causing both men to look down at him. 

"He seems to like that," said Richard. "Or it's a complete coincidence, but hey, if the timing's right-"

Gavin grinned softly. "You're becoming as cynical as me, don't say I'm rubbing off on you." He nodded once. "Buddy, it is!"

Richard reached behind him and produced a box, setting it gently down. "I bought him a special collar," he said. Then, "By the way, a couple of android laws passed today."

"Yeah?" Gavin responded, slightly disinterested in the subject due to the bundle of fluff he now owned, and curiosity of what a special collar looked like. He opened the box and stopped, freezing up completely.

Resting atop the collar was no ordinary tag, but a band of shining gold adorned with a glittering diamond. 

As Gavin looked up from the box, he found Richard watching him eagerly. 

Richard reached into the box and picked up the ring, holding it out as he giggled shyly, cheeks flushed with light blue. "Gavin Luciel Reed..." he said, taking one of the man's hands in his own.

"Will you marry me?"

 


	22. Tranpose

### Chapter Twenty-Two

"Detective Reed?" 

"He's not responding. Get the nurse."

"Captain-"

" _Now,_ Richard."

"Yes, sir."

"Luciel, can you hear me?"

Gavin stirred a fraction and weakly tried to pry open his eyes. It felt as though molten steel had been poured through his mind and was slowly traversing his brain, clogging all his memories up with thick toxic sludge. He could hear the voice a few inches from his ear, yet it didn't strike a single familiar cord. But that name did. Detective Gavin Luciel Reed, age... twenty-one, wasn't it? No, twenty-two. He had to be twenty-two, because Reese was a year older than him. Or... was it younger?

Reese Alsair, his childhood-

Wait, was it Reese or Reece?

Reese with an S, he decided.

But anyway, he needed to get all the facts in order.

So, what did he know so far?

He was twenty-two years old, lived in Detroit and had no siblings. His partner at home was Reese Alsair, and at work was Richard Devyni. His father left when he was a baby but his mother raised him with love and nurtured him until he was ready to take the reins on his own life. He lived with Reese now; in a little cottage up on the moorlands, where they had a small farm and rescued abandoned cats. They were newly engaged, in fact Reese had proposed a few days ago. 

What else was there?

He hated androids, there was one at work called HK800 (AKA Hank) and it always went out of its way to piss him off. That thing was partnered up with Connor Astuoni, poor bastard.

Well, that was all the major details. If only he could remember how he ended up like this...

 

_"Lieutenant, you really shouldn't drink so much." Hank reached over to Connor, gently closing his fingers around the bottle neck as he started to extract the spirit from his partner's hand._

_"Leave me alone," Connor warned, a soft growl in the back of his throat as he pulled the cigarette from his lips (still lit) and flicked it onto the floor._

_Hank sighed, giving a light tug as one might when trying to coax a pull-toy from a dog's mouth. "Lieutenant, I must insist that-"_

_Connor snapped, tossing the drink down with a snarl as he glared at Hank. "Enough, Hank!" he shouted, grabbing the android by his collar and dragging him in. "You're pissin' me off!_ _"_

 _Hank's LED flickered and swirled into yellow, his eyes unfocused as he seemed to stare through Connor. But the distracted behaviour quickly subsided as he saw a lick of flame at Connor's ankles. "Lieutenant!" He grabbed Connor and carried him effortlessly out of the building, fire pursuing them like a hungry beast. "_ _Is there anyone else in the building?" he asked, scanning the area for heat signatures. He found one, a slumped figure a few rooms away. As strong as he was, there was no way Hank could carry two people. "I'll come back for them," he said, clearing the door and heading downstairs as he called the fire service._

_Connor didn't respond, he was too busy shielding his mouth and coughing from the growing smoke. Guilt had begun chewing on his heart as he knew he'd caused this, it was no coincidence that cigarette plus spirit essentially equalled a molotov cocktail. Without the explosive part, anyway. The only saving grace was that the building was virtually empty since it was after-hours, and Hank would easily be able to rescue whoever got left behind._

* * *

_Gavin looked up as plumes of smoke swirled around him, darting into his lungs the moment it got chance. He gasped and coughed, getting up from his desk with haste to make a beeline for the exit. Visibility was limited, and breathing grew harder with every attempt. But nonetheless, he fought his way through the haze and waved his hand in an attempt to clear a path. As he felt around, he found another desk, leaning heavily on it for a chance of rest._

_This didn't last long since the fire quickly captured him again, climbing onto the desk as it took hold of a paper box. Gavin quickly broke away once more, about to continue his retreat, when a loud POP sounded from nearby-_

* * *

_Hank found Gavin unconscious when he arrived, lifting the Detective into his arms. One final scan to make sure all occupants had been evacuated, then he made for the exit once more._

"Nngh," said Gavin. He opened his eyes and blinked blearily, reaching for nothing in particular.

Captain Stern took his hand, squeezing it gently. "You're awake," she said, matter-of-factly. "Do you know where you are?"

"Kansas?" Gavin responded with a wry smile, prompting one of her own.

"Your sense of humour isn't damaged," Amanda remarked dryly. "The building caught fire. A box of cartridges was detonated in the fire and exploded while you were near it, likely rendering you unconscious before the smoke could. You've suffered low degree burns but no further damage. We suspected arson at first, though it turns out a foolish accident caused the inferno." Her voice tightened to a crisp tone. "I've thoroughly reprimanded Connor, he's already on his fiftieth warning."

"Lay off him," Gavin murmured. "It's not his fault. Hey, where's Reese?"

 "I'm here, baby." Reese appeared at the other side of Gavin, threading their fingers with one hand as he set down a plastic cup of water with the other. "Nipped out to get a drink, thought you might appreciate it."

Gavin took the cup and lifted it to his lips, instantly refreshed by the quenching of a thirst he hadn't yet registered. "Thanks hun. Sorry to just dip out again, but I'm pretty sleepy..."

Whatever Captain Stern was about to say was discounted, Reese just cut over her and smiled warmly. "Rest up, sweetheart," he murmured.

"I'll be here no matter what."


	23. Not the next chapter

Hey, it's Writer-kun. ^^

All right, so first things first:

I've loved writing this story and all your support is truly appreciated, you're such wonderful people. 

But I've been going through a lot, and my muse to write this particular piece is just gone. 

Fanfictions are well and good, but I'd like to put my name on something that's truly mine.

I'm very unwell, physically incapable of working, and I'm trying to turn writing into a career because it's my passion.

I hate to be that guy, but I'd be super grateful if you could support this by commissioning my writing. 

https://www.fiverr.com/fluffydev

You can ask for anything including short stories. 💕

Thank you again, and hopefully I'll hear from you soon.

~ Theodore

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading so far! 😊


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